Picadilly Circus is glowing up. The central London junction that’s filled with bright lights and neon billboards is getting even more.
A developer wants to add a new huge screen to the area, showing breaking news and travel updates. And it could make the illuminated thoroughfare double in size, as Criterion Capital want the ginormous electric board to be 110ft by 40ft. They hope a sizeable new billboard will help encourage more people to visit central London.
The developer is currently undertaking a survey with the local community to see what they want from the new advertising space, before it submits the planning application to Westminster Council. If approved, the new sign will be on the London Pavillion building. In order to not damage the Grade II listed brickwork, the new screen would be hung on steel panels that were put on the building in the 1980s.
The first electric advert was put up at the junction over a century ago, in 1908, advertising Perrier fizzy water. Since then Piccadilly has advertised pretty much every iconic brand under the sun, like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Wrigley’s Gum.
Criterion Capital said: ‘The design will be sensitive to the character of the building and the works that will be carried out will preserve its historic features. The historic importance of the London Pavilion will be respected and enhanced to become a key centre of civic communication and a community hub of public information.’
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