The London Trocadero was an entertainment and shopping complex situated in Piccadilly Circus in London, England, UK.
History
The complex opened in 1984. The Trocadero was formerly a restaurant which closed in 1965.
In 1990, the Funland amusement arcade operated by Family Leisure opened up in the complex, eventually expanding with Lazerbowl in 1991. It eventually became the venue's most popular facility.[1]
In 1995, an independent company, Trocadero PLC, leased out operations from the Burford Group. In February, they signed a deal with Sega to construct SegaWorld London, an indoor amusement park that would take over the long-vacant upper floors of the Trocadero.[2] SegaWorld London opened to the public on 7 September 1996.[3][4]
After purchasing out other leisure facilities and intellectual properties such as the estates of Enid Blyton (including Noddy) and Agatha Christie, Trocadero PLC was renamed as Chorion PLC in April 1998.[5]
In September 1999, the SegaWorld joint-venture ended following many financial losses, with Chorion selling the lease over to Family Leisure.[6]
In 2000, Chorion withdrew from all operations in the Trocadero; reverting it to the Burford Group.[7] Shortly afterward, Chorion announced their exit from the leisure market to focus more on its intellectual properties.[8]
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In 2005, the Trocadero complex was purchased by Criterion Capital, who's plan for the site was to convert it into a hotel. The company submitted a plan in 2007, but was rejected.[9]
At the start of July 2011, the complex's landlord shut down Funland by cutting the electricity and chaining the emergency exits shut, eventually removing the escalator that went up to the second floor of the arcade. The closure was due to many year's worth of conflicts between Family Leisure and Criterion.
Plans for a "pod hotel" were approved in August 2012.[10] Work was eventually completed by 2019.[11]
In 2014, rumours circulated that the venue would close for good, but these were retracted.[12]
The former main entrance to the Trocadero was replaced with a souvenir store in 2016.[13][14] Other portions of the complex have been repurposed for other usages, including a The Crystal Maze Live Experience attraction which opened in 2019[15] Planning permission to construct a Mosque in a long-vacant cinema was submitted in 2023.[16]
Former Attractions
| Name | Manufacturer | Type | Opened | Closed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Bond 007: A License To Thrill | Unknown | Simulator | 1999[17] | unknown | Removed |
| London's Scream Ride | Intamin | Drop Tower | 1998 | 2002 | Relocated to Funland Hayling Island |
References
- ↑ "Trek to the Trocadero". Westminster and Pimlico News. 1997-05-08. p. 20. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ↑ "Take off for £45m space park". Evening Standard. 1995-05-12. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ↑ Harris, Ed (1996-09-04). "Welcome to Sega's brash, high-octane brave new world". Evening Standard. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ↑ "Experience virtual reality with The Daily Telegraph and Segaworld". The Daily Telegraph. 1996-09-07. p. 36. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ↑ "Agatha deal gets Noddy". Daily Mirror. 1998-06-04. p. 48. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ↑ "Chorion's Segaworld game over". Evening Standard. 1999-09-07. p. 42. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
- ↑ "Back to the future for the ailing Trocadero". Evening Standard. 2000-02-03. p. 45. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
- ↑ http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-63292819/chorion-plans-demerger-improve.html
- ↑ "Trocadero owner sued for $20m over 'fraud'". Sunday Telegraph. 2007-12-16. p. 41. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ↑ "Extra 'pod hotel' space in London Trocadero approved". BBC News. 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ↑ https://www.thecaterer.com/news/trocadero-hotel-to-open-as-first-zedwell
- ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/18/london-trocadero-closing_n_4807439.html
- ↑ https://www.dreamstime.com/trocadero-shopping-center-coventry-street-london-was-entertainment-complex-originally-built-as-restaurant-image110863123
- ↑ https://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/glorious-london-gift-and-souvenir-london
- ↑ https://www.ukinbound.org/member-news/londons-trocadero-given-new-lease-of-life-as-the-crystal-maze-live-experience-opens/
- ↑ https://www.timeout.com/london/news/london-is-getting-a-new-mosque-in-a-very-famous-building-071723
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/422595.stm