Editing Leicester Square (section)

===Entertainment===
Since the 19th century, Leicester Square has been known for its entertainment venues, including the Alhambra and Empire theatres and the nearby [[Daly's Theatre]], which opened in 1893, and the [[Hippodrome, London|Hippodrome]], which opened in 1900. One of the signs marking the square bears the legend "[[West End theatre|Theatreland]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5108419,-0.1296013,3a,37.5y,80.89h,95.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIftlib_RZnPqaT5KOaehoQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656|title=Leicester Square|publisher=Google Maps|access-date=6 October 2015}}</ref> In the 20th century, most of these large theatres became [[movie theater|cinemas]] and the area is the centre of London's cinema scene and the prime location in the United Kingdom for film premieres. Since the 1980s, it has hosted the [[London Film Festival]] each year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cinematreasures.org/theater/841/ |title=Cinema Treasures – Odeon Leicester Square |access-date=16 November 2009 |author=Steffan Laugharne, Ken Roe |work=Cinema Treasures |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201073447/http://cinematreasures.org/theater/841 |archive-date=1 February 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Odeon Leicester Square]], on the site of the old Alhambra theatre, is the cinema with the most seats in a single screen in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square |url=https://www.odeon.co.uk/cinemas/london-leicester-square/ |website=odeon.co.uk |access-date=15 March 2024}}</ref> Similar to [[Grauman's Chinese Theatre]] in [[Hollywood, CA|Hollywood]], the square was surrounded by floor mounted plaques with film stars' names and cast handprints. During the 2010–2012 refurbishment, many of the plaques were removed, confusing tourists who still expected to find them there.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/celebritynews/hollywood-film-stars-hand-print-collection-set-for-west-end-return-after-disappearance-9748007.html|title=Hollywood film stars' hand print collection set for West End return after disappearance|newspaper=London Evening Standard|date=22 September 2014|access-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015164743/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/celebritynews/hollywood-film-stars-hand-print-collection-set-for-west-end-return-after-disappearance-9748007.html|archive-date=15 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> 

In the 1950s, the Hippodrome became a nightclub and is now a casino.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/welcome-to-the-pleasure-dome-leicester-square-hippodrome-opens-as-casino-after-40m-refit-7938367.html|title=Welcome to the Pleasure Dome – Leicester Square Hippodrome Opens as Casino after £40m refit#|work=London Evening Standard|date=12 July 2012|access-date=12 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072300/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/welcome-to-the-pleasure-dome-leicester-square-hippodrome-opens-as-casino-after-40m-refit-7938367.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Ticket Booth, Leicester Square W1 - geograph.org.uk - 1284462.jpg|thumb|The TKTS booth in Leicester Square is the official place to purchase cheap theatre tickets in the [[West End of London|West End]] besides being synonymous with London film premieres.]]
The [[Leicester Square Theatre]] is based in nearby Leicester Place. It was constructed in 1955 as a church, before becoming the Notre Dame Hall, then the Cavern in the Town, a popular live music venue in the 1960s.<ref name=lst/> In the 1970s, it was renamed back to the Notre Dame Hall, where the [[Sex Pistols]] played one of their first gigs at the club on 15 November 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sexpistolsofficial.com/gig-archive-1975-2008/|title=Gig Archive 1975 – 2008|publisher=Sex Pistols (official website)|access-date=4 January 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130202095544/http://www.sexpistolsofficial.com/gig-archive-1975-2008/|archive-date=2 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|The gig occurred a little over two weeks before the Sex Pistols achieved national notoriety by appearing on [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]]'s ''Today'' with [[Bill Grundy]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/never-mind-four-letter-words-heres-the-sex-pistols-when-television-met-punk-rock-426571.html|title=Never mind four-letter words... here's the Sex Pistols: when television met punk rock|first=Jonathan|last=Brown|newspaper=The Independent|date=1 December 2012|access-date=4 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217001630/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/never-mind-four-letter-words-heres-the-sex-pistols-when-television-met-punk-rock-426571.html|archive-date=17 February 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>}} It was converted into a theatre in 2002 as The Venue, and refurbished as the Leicester Square Theatre in 2008 (using the name of an earlier cinema).<ref name=lst>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/theatres/show/20-leicester-square-theatre|title=Leicester Square Theatre|publisher=Theatre Trust|access-date=12 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114324/http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/theatres/show/20-leicester-square-theatre|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

The square has been the home for ''[[TKTS]]'' (originally known as the Official London Half-Price Theatre Ticket Booth), since 1980. Tickets for [[theatre]] performances taking place around the West End that day and during the week are sold from the booth at a significant discount.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/buy-tickets/tkts/|title=TKTS|publisher=Official London Theatre Guide|access-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015130405/http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/buy-tickets/tkts/|archive-date=15 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The popularity of the booth has given rise to other booths and stores around the square that advertise half-price tickets for West End shows. The Official London Theatre Guide recommends avoiding these booths as they are not official and do not contain the Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR) logo.<ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/other_files/pdfs/access/Tagged_Nelsons_Column_Tickets_booth.pdf|title=A step-free route from Nelson's Column to the TKTS Booth|publisher=Official London Theatre Guide|access-date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200708/http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/other_files/pdfs/access/Tagged_Nelsons_Column_Tickets_booth.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Global Group|Global Radio]] has its headquarters on the east side of Leicester Square at No.&nbsp;30, close to the Odeon. The building houses the radio stations [[Capital (radio network)|Capital]], [[Capital Xtra]], [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]], [[Gold (British radio network)|Gold]], [[Heart (radio network)|Heart]], [[LBC]], [[Smooth Radio (2014)|Smooth Radio]] and [[Radio X (United Kingdom)|Radio X]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisglobal.com/about-us/|title=About Us|publisher=Global Radio|access-date=10 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907191743/http://www.thisisglobal.com/about-us/|archive-date=7 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Cinemas====
[[File:Londen 2006 (361) (2848925508).jpg|thumb|left|upright|200px|The [[Odeon Luxe Leicester Square|Odeon Leicester Square]] in June 2006]]
The [[Empire, Leicester Square|Empire theatre]] on the north side of the square was converted into a cinema in 1928. It was the largest on the square until 1959, when a new projection box was built in the centre of the stalls for ''[[Ben-Hur (1959 film)|Ben-Hur]]'', reducing the seating capacity from 2,778 to 1,723. In 1961, the building was gutted and a new cinema and dance hall were built in the shell.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eyles |first1=Allen |last2=Skone |first2=Keith |title=London's West End Cinemas |date=1991 |publisher=Keytone Publications |isbn=0951431315 |pages=57,98,99}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/912 |title=Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square |website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ross Melnick, Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref> In 2013 the main auditorium was divided into two screens, including an [[IMAX]] screen.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30144260|title=Leicester Square: Do London's cinemas face a fight for survival?|first=Duncan|last=Smith|work=BBC News|date=14 December 2014|access-date=9 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926002634/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30144260|archive-date=26 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Adjoining the Empire was the Ritz Cinema, opened by [[MGM]] in 1937. It played ''[[Gone With the Wind (film)|Gone With the Wind]]'' for four years from 1940 to 1944.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|title=Metro Shutters Ritz In London For a Facelift|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_variety_1970-04-29_258_11/page/172/mode/2up?view=theater|date=29 April 1970|page=172|access-date=15 June 2024|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> It became a second screen for the Empire in 1972 and was converted to a [[4DX]] screen in 2018. In 2023 it was closed due to a dispute with the building's landlord.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/912 |title=Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square 4DX|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>

On the south side, the [[Odeon Luxe West End|Leicester Square Theatre]] opened in 1930. It was renamed the Odeon West End in 1988 and was earmarked for demolition in 2014, to be replaced by a ten-storey hotel including a two-screen cinema.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25820426|title=Leicester Square's Odeon cinema to be demolished|work=BBC News|date=21 January 2014|access-date=9 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926002224/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25820426|archive-date=26 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The new cinema opened in 2021 as the [[Odeon Luxe West End]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinematreasures.org/theaters/910 |title=Odeon West End|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ross Melnick, Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>

The Odeon Leicester Square, which dominates the east side of the square, hosts many film premieres. Opened in 1937 on the site of the Alhambra Theatre, it originally had a capacity for 2,116 people, arranged in circle and stalls. Following changes at the Empire, in the 1960s it became the largest cinema on the square.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=6 February 1963|page=23|title=Freeze Hurts West End Deluxers, 'Lawrence' Might $33,000, 7th, 'West' Sturdy 21½G, 'Girls' Stout $16,000 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_variety_1963-02-06_229_11/page/23/mode/1up?view=theater|access-date=16 June 2024|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> It later became the largest cinema in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |last=Robertson |first=Patrick |title=Film Facts & Feats |publisher=Aurum Press |year=2001 |isbn=1-85410-654-6 |page=221}}</ref> The seating capacity was reduced to 800 following refurbishment in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/841 |title=Odeon Luxe Leicester Square|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Steffan Laugharne, Ken Roe| access-date=16 June 2024}}</ref>

On the other side of the Empire was the Queen's Hotel, which started showing [[newsreels]] in the 1930s and was then converted into a [[Joseph Cohen (solicitor)|Jacey]] Cinema in 1960. It closed in 1978 and is now a casino.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/13062|title=Jacey Leicester Square|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref>

The [[Vue West End|Warner Theatre]], near the north east corner, opened in 1938 on the site of the former Daly's Theatre. The Warner was demolished and rebuilt in 1993. In 2004, it was taken over by [[Vue International|Vue]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinematreasures.org/theaters/3778|title=Vue West End|website=Cinema Treasures |author=Ken Roe| access-date=15 June 2024}}</ref> In 2006, it was one of the first two cinemas in Europe to screen a film in [[Digital 3D]] with ''[[Chicken Little (2005 film)|Chicken Little]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://myvue.com/about-us|title=About Us|publisher=Vue|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005151807/http://www.myvue.com/about-us|archive-date=5 October 2011}}</ref>

A short distance from the west of the square, on the south side of Panton Street, is the Odeon Panton Street.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/cinemas/odeon-panton-street|title=Odeon Panton Street|magazine=Time Out|access-date=11 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905155702/http://www.timeout.com/london/cinemas/odeon-panton-street|archive-date=5 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Prince Charles Cinema]], to the north of the square opened in 1962 with a "satellite dish" design where the audience looks upwards to the stage. The cinema became known for showing [[pornographic film|pornographic]] and [[erotic film|erotic]] films during the 1970s, including ''[[Emmanuelle (1974 film)|Emmanuelle]]'' (1974). It later became a favourite venue for showing [[cult film]]s, including ''[[The Rocky Horror Picture Show]]'' (1975) and a sing-along version of ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (1965), and marathon performances including all seven [[Muppet]] films back to back. Prices are considerably cheaper than the main cinemas in the square; in 2013 a ticket for a new release at the Prince Charles cost £10, compared to £24 at the Odeon.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2013/jan/15/cine-files-prince-charles-cinema|title=Cine-files: The Prince Charles Cinema|work=The Guardian|date=15 January 2013|access-date=10 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002125513/http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2013/jan/15/cine-files-prince-charles-cinema|archive-date=2 October 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Statue of Mr. Bean at Leicester Square.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mr. Bean (character)|Mr. Bean]] statue in the square as part of the ''[[Scenes in the Square]]'' sculpture trail.]]
Due to the Leicester Square's long association with cinema, a film-themed sculpture trail entitled ''[[Scenes in the Square]]'' was installed.<ref name="SITS 1">{{cite news |title=Celebrate 100 years of cinema with this interactive sculpture trail in Leicester Square |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/news/celebrate-100-years-of-cinema-with-this-interactive-sculpture-trail-in-leicester-square-011320 |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=Time Out London}}</ref> In February 2020, eight sculptures were installed which depict characters from the last 100 years of cinema including [[Laurel and Hardy]], [[Mary Poppins (character)|Mary Poppins]], [[Batman]], [[Bugs Bunny]], [[Don Lockwood]] portrayed by [[Gene Kelly]], [[Paddington Bear]], [[Mr. Bean (character)|Mr. Bean]], and [[Wonder Woman]].<ref name="SITS 1" /> In September 2020, a statue of [[Harry Potter]] riding a [[Nimbus 2000]] was installed, becoming the ninth statue in the exhibition.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hartley |first1=Laura |title=Harry Potter Quidditch statue unveiled in Leicester Square |url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/gallery/harry-potter-quidditch-statue-unveiled-19023066 |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=SurreyLive |date=30 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In June 2021, a statue of the [[Iron Throne (A Song of Ice and Fire)|Iron Throne]] from HBO TV series ''[[Game of Thrones]]'' was unveiled to mark 10 years since the release of the first episode.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Makoni |first1=Abbianca |title=Game of Thrones' Iron Throne comes to Leicester Square |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/game-of-thrones-iron-throne-leicester-square-b941979.html |access-date=6 July 2021 |work=London Evening Standard |date=22 June 2021}}</ref>