Leicester Square, London

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Leicester Square in down-town London is so lovely, the cinema square - with Leicester's Square Odeon, Emporium, Odeon West-End and Vue - and many more cinemas in this area. If you ever want to spot a famous actor this might be the place to be. Just hang around there at the premiere of a big movie. I accidentally stumbled into Leicester Square once when Tom Cruise was holding a speech there.

The square used to be lined with handprints of famous actors, but in 2013 I noticed that all the handprints had gone. Why?

Leicester Square is often closed off when there are premiers of new films and the actors in the main roles show up there. And the security guards can get really aggressive, shouting at people to "get off" - which I find very offensive, so I never stay here in the crowd to see if I can spot an actor. When there is a premier I walk through Chinatown to get to Charing Cross Road.

Leicester Square is always very crowded with its cinemas, bars and clubs and on Friday and Saturday nights this is the place to be - if you are into clubbling. There are so many restaurants on the square itself and in this area - and this is an expensive area to sit down and eat - that is why I buy myself food in Chinatown and sit down in the park and have have my lunch there when in this area. But I have found that All Bar One, by the south-west corner of Leicester Square, is quite good and not that expensive.

During Christmas time there is a theme park on Leicester Square.

By the square is also an Information center/ticket office.

In the park there is a fountain with a statue of Shakespeare with dolphins, one of Charlie Chaplin and many other statues.

If you want your portrait drawn and don't mind a lot of people watching you in the process then there are several artists on this square every day.

TKTS is located on the square as well, where you can get same-day theatre-tickets half price.

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It is true 35,000 square feet at M & M's World in Leicester Square, but if you have kids i suggest you give this place a wide berth because this store is very enticing for children and by the looks of it, it s a huge rip off. It is five floors with expensive souvenirs--bags of sweets several £s, key rings £5, hooded tops £38 which you can buy at supermarkets for less than half that price. M & M sell their own sweets at £1.99 while the supermarkets sell at £1.30.
There are M & M designs of flags, Queen Elizabeth and countless other things to see. It is quite possible towalk around all 5 floors without spending anything but to put it in a nutshell i suggest you avoid this ridiculous place

What an awesome place, leicester square,, exit the underground station, and within 2 mins walk is the square, chinatown, tracadero centre(arcades/games till late), and plenty of eateries, cinemas, clubs and nightclubs to keep you entertained for hours..

In years gone by, in the week preceding the British GP, thats MOTOGP not F1, the Valentino Rossi road show rolled into Leicester Square. Hosted by Suzi Perry the Q&A session and interview was followed by a signing session when the 9 times world motorcycle champ tried to sign as many autographes as he could for his fans.
It hasn't happened for the last few years and it's unlikely to be repeated but I was there when it did happen and it goes to show you that if you are in the right place at the right time then London really does have something for everyone.
Yes, I did get his autograph.

Named after an Earl of Leicester whose mansion was at this location in the 17th century, Leicester Square is the centre of entertainment in London. This reputation began in the 19th century, when it was home to numerous theatres and amusement venues, and has continued to this day, albeit with cinemas replacing most of the theatres. A small statue of Shakespeare was erected in the garden in the centre of the square as a nod to the square's history of hosting theatre. The cinemas around Leicester Square are the largest in London, so often on weekend nights, the square is more crowded than in daytime. Restaurants, bars and some clubs around the square are also very popular among tourists and locals alike.

[Note: for those who do not know, "Leicester" is pronounced "Lester"]

I got mixed feelings about Leicester Square.

The square is located in a very nice part of London, and has a lot of activity both during the day and the night, with a lot of cinemas.

But it's also filled with fast food joints and tourist traps shops and restaurants.

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Located right in the heart of London's West End, this busy square is within easy walking distance to many of London's top theaters, the café society and nightlife delights of Soho.

There about 4 cinemas in Leicester Sq, which hosts to the BAFTAS and film premieres, (Odeon is the no. 1 premiere cinema). Don't expect much, there is little chance that you could see Orlando Bloom or Tom Cruise when you are surrounded by hundreds of screaming fans and large barricades, you'll barelu see anything at all. I went to two premieres, one for Pirates of the Caribbean, where I only saw Kevin Mcnally, and then I went to the Miami Vice one, where I only saw Naomie Harris who was in both films( the witch lady with the Jamaican accent in POC) .

But if you really want do visit these cinemas, be aware they are the most expensive in London. You'll pay about £10-£13 for one person. I went in and watched Ice Age 2 in Empire, besides the very comfy chair, it doesn't really have that much to offer.

Also the actual park-type square have a dial showing the distances to various cities and a statue of London film legend Charlie Chaplin. And during Christmas, there's usually a mini carnival there with rides.

Apart from cinemas, there are a few chain pubs here ,and there is also the famous Swiss Centre.

Overall, I'd say still visit it for a few minutes, take a picture and then proceed to Soho, Chinatown, Covent Garden, etc. to drink, watch a movie or dine.

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Leicester Square is perfect for an in between stop while exploring London on foot. All car through traffic is banned from the square and it's a pedestrian paradise.

There are some benches and there are always some pigeons around asking for some attention.

The Square is named after Robert Sidney, the second Earl of Leicester, who purchased four acres in St. Martin's Field in 1630. In 1635 he had built himself a large house called the Leicester House.

There are a number of statues in the square. The central one is of William Shakespeare with his quote: There is no darkness but ignorance.
At the four corners of the park have one bust each of the following men:
-Sir Isaac Newton, scientist
-Sir Joshua Reynolds, first President of the Royal Academy
-John Hunter, pioneer of surgery
-William Hogarth, painter.

In one of the fields there's a new statue of of film star and director Charlie Chaplin.

The square is popular for the following cinema's located in the area:
-Odeon Leicester Square,
-Odeon Mezzanine
-Empire
-Odeon West End
-Vue
-Odeon Panton Street
-Prince Charles Cinema
-Cineworld

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For many people London’s West End is synonymous with visits to the theatre and cinema, and the hub of all this activity is Leicester Square. Until a few years ago this was a scruffy run-down patch of grass, frequented by homeless people in search of a bench or junkies in search of a fix, and skirted by most others. But a recent makeover has turned it into a pleasant place to pause for a rest, and there are a number of sights worth a quick look at least. At the centre of the square is a 19th century statue of William Shakespeare and busts of eminent historical figures, such as Isaac Newton and Joshua Reynolds, sit in each corner. I also particularly like this newer one of Charlie Chaplin, and cinema fans will also want to look for the hand prints of their favourite film stars set into the paving stones around the edge of the square.

Around the four sides of the square are a number of cinemas, including the largest screen in London at the Odeon. This is a great place to see a film if like me you aren’t too keen on the small theatres with screens that seem not much bigger than your own TV! The Empire on the north side also has a good sized screen and auditorium, while the other cinemas are the more usual multiplexes. There are also plenty of restaurants, though we tend to avoid these – they’re usually very busy and noisy, expensive for what you get and I think they tend to be lazy about what they offer because they don’t have to work too hard to attract customers. So I recommend you go at least one street away before searching out somewhere to eat.

If you prefer stage to film you’ll need to go to a theatre outside the square to actually see a play, but you might still want to come here first as the official half-price theatre ticket booth, known as “tkts”, is located on the south side of the square. There are a number of other places in the area also offering half-price tickets but these aren’t all official and may not have the bargains they advertise – I would always go to the official one.

At Christmas Leicester Square is home to a small funfair which adds some seasonal colour to the scene and provides an alternative West End experience for visitors and locals alike. Film buffs will want to be on the lookout for a rather different special occasion though – one of the occasional film premieres that bring out the crowds to spot the stars on the red carpet.

By the way Leicester is pronounced Lester, not Lye-kester as I have overheard some visitors say.

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Leicester square was laid out in 1670. In Victorian times, several of London’s most popular music halls were situated here including the empire, which is now a cinema, and the Alhambra, which is now the Odeon, another cinema.
There is a statue of Charlie Chaplin and handprints cemented into the ground of famous celebrities such as Jude law, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maggie Smith.
Most of the films released at the cinema are premiered here in Leicester square with the red carpet and celebrity events.