The next time you are at Piccadilly Circus, one of London’s most well-known landmarks, you won’t be greeted with the dazzling LED billboard displays.
Instead, you will see a temporary banner is replacing the glitzy lights. At least for the next few months.
The lights in Piccadilly Circus have been turned off until next Autumn!#London #PiccadillyCircus pic.twitter.com/cBTJp890UK
— Grant (@SnowAndBeach) January 16, 2017
The famous display has been switched off for on-site renovations and will stay off until autumn.
And it’s been a while since this has happened. The lights first went out in 1939 during the Second World War blackouts and were not switched back on until 1949.
Since then, they have only gone out during special events – including the funerals of Winston Churchill and Princess Diana – and power cuts.
A permanent single screen will be unveiled in autumn to replace the current six screens shared by advertisers. It will be the same size as the current space and is expected to be Europe’s largest single digital screen.And it appears some people are feeling a bit nostalgic:
Oh it's a long long way to Tipperary but my hearts still there ……goodbye #PiccadillyLights pic.twitter.com/WezphirXow
— Tim Bleakley (@thewindblewblea) January 16, 2017
Over 50 years ago my dad would regularly, randomly drive my sister and I over to Piccadilly Circus to see the lights. We loved it. Sad day.
— Olive (@Oliveoyl60) January 16, 2017
Although, some of us can’t help but think this:
Hmmmm it would be interesting to see just how much electricity is saved with Piccadilly Circus lights off till autumn.just for a laugh like
— SianMeganPaddock (@SianPaddock) January 16, 2017
