Muslim billionaire wins permission to turn part of London landmark into a mosque
Previous attempts to build a mosque with a capacity for 1,000 people were pulled in 2020 following complaints
www.express.co.uk
A Muslim billionaire nicknamed Mr West End has won permission to turn the Trocadero entertainment complex, in the centre of London’s West End, into a three-story mosque and Islamic centre with a capacity of 360 worshippers.
Asift Aziz, 56, founder and Chief Executive of property company Criterion Capital, is behind the plan. It will take the place of a Metro cinema, which closed in 2006.
Aziz, a London-based billionaire entrepreneur, bought the Trocadero in 2005 for over £220 million. It was once home to the London Pavilion Theatre and later, SegaWorld - and the UK's first 3D IMAX cinema, which was sponsored by Pepsi.
Aziz plans to create a mosque in the Coventry Street building located between Soho and Piccadilly Circus, which is renowned for its ornate baroque façade.
It comes after previous attempts to build a mosque with capacity for 1,000 people were pulled in 2020 following complaints.
Conservative councillor Matthew Green told the BBC at the time that some comments objecting to the proposal were racist, hateful and “utterly repellant”. Far-right group Britain First organised a petition against the proposal.
However, a planning application for a smaller development was approved by Westminster City Council at the end of May this year. A council spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday: "A planning application by the Aziz Foundation to convert a part of the London Trocadero was approved by the council’s planning committee in May 2023."
Aziz has a property portfolio of more than £2 billion, and owns around 40 London properties.
It is believed the new mosque will be named Piccadilly Prayer Space and may open in months.
The Trocadero first opened in 1896 as a restaurant but was closed in 1965. It reopened again in 1984 as a giant entertainment and exhibition space, sponsored by Sega.
Even the rich and educated Muslims want to turn Britain Islamic, they have the same intentions as the unwashed ghetto dwelling taxi drivers. The City of London should declare itself an Islamic emirate, Britain is good as dead and might as well be better off accepting their demise.