One of London’s famous landmarks, the Trocadero building, is all set to have a three-story house of prayer (mosque) and Islamic centre. The building is located between Piccadilly Circus and Soho. 56-year-old Asif Aziz alias’ Mr. West End’, a billionaire property tycoon, got permission to build the ‘mosque’ inside the iconic Trocadero building in May 2023.
Aziz bought the building in 2005 for GBP 220 million. The mosque will be built by his charitable venture names the Aziz Foundation.
As per Daily Mail’s report, the prayer centre will be able to host 390 people, filling the vacant space after the Metro cinema was shut in 2006.
In 2020, a proposal to build a 1,000-capacity mosque on the site received a severe backlash from the city’s residents and far-right groups. Owing to the criticism, the plan was withdrawn. Later, Aziz submitted a proposal to build a smaller prayer house inside the building that Westminster Council approved. Speaking to The Mail, a council spokesperson said, “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.”
The mosque will be called ‘Piccadilly Prayer Space’ and may open soon. Questions are being raised by the critics as the proposed prayer center site has establishments that serve alcohol. Furthermore, there are nightclubs and Soho’s gay venues and strip joints at the site, which are generally considered against Islam.
Aziz Foundation refuted reports of converting the building to a mosque
In an official statement issued on 17th July (local time), Aziz Foundation has refuted the claims that permission was granted to convert the Trocadero building into a mosque. Deeming it Islamophobia, the foundation said only a part of the building in the vacant basement would serve as a prayer centre.
Setting the record straight. Here is our statement on the recent misleading press coverage regarding our plans for the Trocadero building.
— Aziz Foundation (@AzizFndn) July 17, 2023
For our full statement, visit: https://t.co/cEWtbSNWMD pic.twitter.com/e1jCqV1oTM
As a Foundation, we are proud to support the Piccadilly Community Centre, its prayer space, local community initiatives and interfaith work. British Muslims are part of the fabric of our society and contribute in the most essential and remarkable ways. Still, unsurprisingly, we do not find this accurately reported in mainstream media,” the statement read. It added, “The Centre will provide an indispensable place for the Muslims who work, visit and live in the area and for whom prayer forms a cornerstone of their life.”
The foundation said it will “provide an area for prayer; it is also anticipated that this development will nurture much-needed interfaith dialogue and, in turn, bring faith communities and community groups together utilizing available space.”
Accusing media of spreading misinformation and Islamophobia, the foundation added, “Clearly some in the media feel that being critical of the Muslim community or knowingly creating headlines that will provoke anti-Muslim hatred is far more productive than reporting on the many positive initiatives.”
The ‘meanest landlord’
Aziz was named the ‘meanest landlord’ amidst Covid lockdowns after he threatened the tenants of West End, including chains like Caffe Concerto, with wind-up petitions. He asked tenants to vacate the establishment if they cannot pay the rent.
The criticism on social media
Britishers are not pleased with having an Islamic prayer centre at the Trocadero. Britain’s leader Paud Golding said, “As a teenager, I used to visit the Trocadero regularly. The news that it will shortly become a huge mosque has really angered me. Muslim millionaire Asif Aziz plans to build a three-storey Islamic centre at the Trocadero. London has fallen. London is an occupied city.”
As a teenager, I used to visit the Trocadero regularly.
— Paul Golding (@GoldingBF) July 17, 2023
The news that it will shortly become a huge mosque has really angered me.
Muslim millionaire Asif Aziz plans to build a three-storey Islamic centre at the Trocadero.
London has fallen. London is an occupied city. #Trocadero pic.twitter.com/4wuJbyhE1n
Twitter user Farmer_Boycie said, “So The London Trocadero could soon be a Mosque. For years I have heard that the Muslim faith would take over as the country’s most fully focused religion. Khan is doing everything in his power to make this happen. It’s not racist to know when a radical is at work.”
So The London Trocadero could soon be a Mosque. For years I have heard that the Muslim faith would take over as the country’s most fully focused religion. Khan is doing everything in his power to make this happen. It’s not racist to know when a radical is at work. pic.twitter.com/0116kVqLRO
— Sir Johnny OBE (@Farmer_Boycie) July 16, 2023
Twitter user Mitsyarty said, “Opened as a restaurant 1896 the Trocadero later became an exhibition and entertainment space In 1984…now this lovely, historic building central to London is to become a Mosque. What are we doing? What are our politicians doing!??! Our cultural history is being eroded daily.”
Opened as a restaurant 1896 the Trocadero later became an exhibition and entertainment space In 1984…now this lovely, historic building central to London is to become a Mosque.
— Jo (@mitsyarty) July 16, 2023
What are we doing? What are our politicians doing!??!
Our cultural history is being eroded daily. https://t.co/bpz8gHYy5t
About Trocadero
The building was raised in 1896 and has served as one of central London’s most famous entertainment complexes. It also has an 11-storey, 490-room hotel named Zedwell. In 1965, the building was closed after serving for seven decades. In 1984, it was reopened as an exhibition space. Later in 1996, a famous baroque façade was added before arcade-style attractions. In the later 1990s, Pepsi and Sega sponsorships helped the center to grow. In 1997, it became the first building to host 3D IMAX cinema. In 1999, Sega backed away from sponsorship.
In 2000, Pepsi also stepped back from the Trocadero. In the year 2005, Aziz bought the company and shared a plan to redevelop it. In 2020, his company submitted a plan to turn the basement into a mosque, but it was withdrawn.
