London is a destination that remains close to the hearts of Muslim travellers everywhere. From the incredible local gems to Muslim-friendly bakeries that'll complete the British experience, we can't help but wish that we'll travel again to London someday.
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If you've been to the capital city of England, you know how tricky it can be to find a prayer space in the West End of London, an area that is known for famous shopping areas like Regent Street, Liberty London and Shaftesbury Avenue. With that being said, this news will definitely add more reason to consider your next shopping trip to London's West End.
According to BBC, the Westminister City Council had received a planning application to turn the upper and lower basements as well as the ground floor of Trocadero, situated on Rupert Street, as a place of worship and community centre.
Once approved, the new mosque will fulfil the need for more prayer spaces in the West End, which is currently served by three mosques in the area: Mayfair Mosque, Soho Mosque, and Goodge Street Mosque. The proposed mosque would be able to fit up to 1,000 worshippers.
A beautiful baroque-style building that has gone through many transformations, Trocadero was first established as a restaurant in 1896 before it reopened as an exhibition centre and leisure complex in 1984. When the centre stopped operating in 2014, it is said that plans are underway to redevelop Trocadero into a hotel.
In 2005, the building was acquired by Criterion Capital, a property company that is helmed by founder and chief executive, Asif Aziz.
The application to turn parts of Trocadero as a place of worship was last validated on 22 April 2020, according to Westminster City Council's website. At the time of writing, the application is pending for approval.
Being a travelling Muslim in London can be difficult, especially when it comes to performing your solat. While we hope this news will provide the ease we need when exploring London's West End, we also have a list of prayer spaces around London to bookmark for your next trip.