Editing Leicester Square (section)

===19th–21st centuries===
[[File:Leicester Square with the Alhambra formerly the Royal Panopticon ILN 1874.jpg|thumb|left|Leicester Square overlooking the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in 1874]]
By the 19th century, Leicester Square was known as an entertainment venue, with many amusements peculiar to the era, including [[Wyld's Great Globe]], which was built for the [[Great Exhibition]] of 1851 and housed a giant scale map of the Earth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.victorianlondon.org/districts/leicestersquare.htm|title=A Journey Round the Globe|work=[[Punch (magazine)|Punch]]|year=1851|access-date=4 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174847/http://www.victorianlondon.org/districts/leicestersquare.htm|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|The globe gave a complete view of the world at a scale of ten miles / inch. [[James Wyld]] constructed the globe as he believed it would show the importance of Britain and revitalise Leicester Square, which was becoming downtrodden by the 1850s.{{sfn|Black|2000|pp=29–31}}}} The construction of New [[Coventry Street]] made it easier for traffic to access the square, resulting in private residences being replaced by shops, museums and exhibition centres. [[Savile House]] at No.&nbsp;5–6, built in 1683 for [[Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury]], had become a museum by this time, and was ultimately destroyed by fire in 1865. It was rebuilt as the Empire Theatre.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|pp=480, 822}}<ref name=north/>

Several foreign-owned hotels were established around the square, making it popular with visitors to London. [[Brunet's Hôtel]] at No.&nbsp;25 was opened by Louis Brunet in 1800, later expanding to Nos.&nbsp;24 and 26 during the following decade. It was bought by Francis Jaunay in 1815 known as [[Jaunay's Hôtel]]. The [[Hôtel Sablonière et de Provence]] opened at No.&nbsp;17–18 in 1845 as the Hôtel de Provence, and renamed in 1869. It closed in 1919 and became a public house. The [[Cavour Hotel|Cavour]], at No.&nbsp;20 at the southeast of the square, opened in 1864. It was badly damaged in World War II but subsequently restored.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=480}}<ref>{{cite journal|title=Leicester Square, East Side: Leicester Estate, Nos 17–30 Leicester Square and Irving Street (formerly Green Street)|journal=Survey of London|volume=33–34: St Anne Soho|editor=F H W Sheppard|location=London|year=1966|pages=448–503|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols33-4/pp488-503|access-date=4 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210212204/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols33-4/pp488-503|archive-date=10 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Leicester Square c1880.jpg|thumb|Leicester Square in 1880, looking north east]]
The [[Alhambra Theatre]] was built in 1854 on the east side of the square, dominating the site. It temporarily closed two years later when the original owner, Edward Clarke, became bankrupt, but then reopened in 1858 as the Alhambra Palace. It enjoyed a surge in popularity after [[Queen Victoria]] and family came to see "Black Eagle – The Horse of Beauty". It burned down in 1882, but reopened the following year.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|pp=16–17}} In the early 20th century, the theatre became a popular venue for ballet. It was demolished in 1936 and replaced by the [[Odeon Leicester Square|Odeon Cinema]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|pp=16–17}} The [[Empire, Leicester Square|Empire Theatre of Varieties]] opened in 1884 on the former site of Savile House, but had a troubled start, closing for a time, until the end of the decade. The theatre gained a reputation for high-class [[prostitute]]s frequenting the theatre, and in 1894 the [[London County Council]] ordered the promenade on the upper balcony to be remodelled. A young [[Winston Churchill]], then a cadet at the [[Royal Military Academy Sandhurst]], helped destroy canvas screens that had been erected to prevent access to the balcony. The theatre closed in 1927, to be replaced by the [[Empire, Leicester Square|Empire Cinema]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=272}}

During the [[Winter of Discontent]], where the incumbent [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] struggled to meet demands of trade unions and a shrinking economy, refuse collectors went on strike in January 1979. Leicester Square was turned into a ''de facto'' dump, earning it the nickname of "[[wikt:fester|Fester]] Square".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7598366.stm|title=Then was the winter of our discontent|work=BBC Radio 4|access-date=3 October 2015|date=5 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005171919/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7598366.stm|archive-date=5 October 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 1980s, the square was [[pedestrianisation|pedestrianised]], cutting off all vehicular traffic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://myparks.westminster.gov.uk/parks/leicester-square-gardens/|title=Leicester Square Gardens|publisher=Westminster City Council|year=2010|access-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007033607/http://myparks.westminster.gov.uk/parks/leicester-square-gardens/|archive-date=7 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Access to the square for goods and deliveries is now controlled by specially designated marshals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westminster.gov.uk/marshals|title=Marshals|publisher=Westminster City Council|access-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007030912/https://www.westminster.gov.uk/marshals|archive-date=7 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

By the start of the 21st century, [[Westminster City Council]] were concerned that the square was too dangerous at night, and wanted to demolish sections of it to encourage the growth of theatres and cinemas, and reduce popularity of nightclubs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2861799.stm|title=Facelift hope for Leicester Square|work=BBC News|date=18 March 2003|access-date=3 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040113221107/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2861799.stm|archive-date=13 January 2004|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2010, a major redevelopment of Leicester Square took place as part of a Great Outdoors scheme proposed by the [[Mayor of London]], [[Boris Johnson]].<ref name=refurb>{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/media/mayor-press-releases/2012/05/transformed-leicester-square-brings-new-jobs-and-boost-to-west|title=Transformed Leicester Square Brings New Jobs and Boost to West End|publisher=Greater London Authority|date=23 May 2012|access-date=3 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004141708/https://www.london.gov.uk/media/mayor-press-releases/2012/05/transformed-leicester-square-brings-new-jobs-and-boost-to-west|archive-date=4 October 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The improvements included {{convert|12000|sqm|sqft}} of granite paving and a [[water feature]] surrounding the Shakespeare statue.<ref name=ind_refurb/> The square re-opened in May 2012 after 17 months' work at a total cost of £15.3 million. The [[Greater London Authority]] said the refurbishments would accommodate more than 1,000 new jobs.<ref name=refurb/> The re-opening coincided with the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] later that year.<ref name=ind_refurb>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/newlook-leicester-square-reopens-7781842.html | work=The Independent | title=New-look Leicester Square reopens | date=23 May 2012 | access-date=3 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205135420/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/newlook-leicester-square-reopens-7781842.html | archive-date=5 December 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>