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Due to reopen in 2011: The vision for the Hippodrome |
Hippodrome will have a casino, cabaret… and Gordon Ramsay
Leisure giant plans to restore Leicester Square landmark to former glory
THE Hippodrome in Leicester Square is set to become a casino and 160-seat cabaret theatre.
The Grade II-listed landmark building in Leicester Square has cut a sorry sight since closing in 2005 after a stint as a nightclub run by Peter Stringfellow.
But now, thanks to a £15million cash injection from United Leisure Gaming Limited (ULG), original features including Flemish Renaissance-style plasterwork, mosaics and ornate balustrades will be restored to their former glory.
Built in 1900 for variety performances, the Hippodrome became a cabaret restaurant in the 1950s, and hosted a roll-call of music greats including Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey.
It has been clad in scaffolding while works on the outside have been carried out, but work on the interior is due to start next month in time for a 2011 reopening.
From October last year, the popular burlesque show La Clique has been in residence but ULG recently obtained a gambling licence, allowing them to push forward with their ambitious plans to open the West End’s biggest casino.
In 2002 plans to convert it into shops, restaurants, bars and an amusement arcade failed because the owners refused to include space for live performance.
At the time, the influential Save London Theatres Campaign persuaded planning chiefs at the council to retain live performances in any future scheme to preserve the building’s showbiz legacy.
The lease was fought over by a number of theatre groups before being won by the casino group which also ran the successful Beacon Bingo, sold in 2006 for £80million.
The new building will also boast a restaurant run by Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay as well as a number of bars.
Simon Thomas, chairman of ULG, said: “Our ambition is to return the Hippodrome to its rightful place as one of the country’s leading leisure destinations and, not least, to secure its future as a venue offering live entertainment.
“Although London has many casinos most of these are quite small, often located below ground, and tend to cater only for gambling.”
Audrey Lewis, Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for customers and neighbourhoods said: “When the venue was run as a nightclub, there was a series of disturbances on the premises. We feel that the venue will serve people better and be safer as a casino.” |
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