Picadilly Circus

There is one crucial lesson to be learned from this video, if you decide to throw silly faces at the camera, you are electing to be in on YouTube, yes? If you know these people, please do pass the video on.
The sun was out as I walked into Hyde Park to start the walk to the West End of London, my intended destination, but as I walked up Picadilly it started to get dark. There was only one thing to do, stay in Picadilly Circus to make some pot shots at passers by. Picadilly is manic at the best of times, but on this particular Saturday afternoon it was really heaving. The lights on Picadilly Circus made up for the gloomy skies and so did the people.
I got home with practically nothing in terms of video clips, so I decided to have some fun with the few I had, so apologies for its experimental nature. Hope you enjoy it all the same.
Picadilly Circus was built in 1819 as a road junction to connect the shopping areas of Picadilly and the then new Regent Street. It is now a major stopping point for tourists and visitors to London heading for the theatre district of the west end of London comprising Shaftesbury Avenue, Leicester Square, Haymarket and Covent Garden. China Town is just a few hundred metres away.
The layout of Picadilly Circus has been altered many times over the years, and the Statue of Eros was lately part of a traffic island. The area towards the Criterion Theatre has now been pedestrianised enabling even more crowds to gather there. One of the main reasons to visit Picadilly Circus is to observe the lights on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Glasshouse Street advertising mainly TDK, Sanyo, Coca Cola, MacDonalds, various football tournaments and other global brands.
On the eastern end you have the Trocadero, an increasingly tacky venue full of various gimics. The corner of the Trocadero also used to carry advertising lights but they were stopped in the 1970's.
London's main red-light district is just around the corner in Great Windmill Street, where you can find strip joints and the odd under-cover brothel. It's not the only one in London but it's certainly the most visible.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• picadilly circus
• piccadilly
• regent street
• picadilly
• haymarket
• criterion theatre
• coventry street
• shaftesbury avenue
• leicester square
• trocadero
• great windmill street
• red light district
• london
• shopping
• tourists
• eros
• statue
• anteros
• london taxis
• london buses
• telephone boxes
• palace
• england
• live

[arcadia449]

I agree. But you just try it anywhere around Canary Wharf and the security thugs will pounce on you. It happened to me. I like your vids, by the way. Good work.

[eurodestination]

@arcadia449 Thanks for your comments. Yeh you have to be careful, but you can always outsmart people when you have a smaller camera. Cheers.

[arcadia449]

Did you know that there is a bye-law which forbids the setting up of a tripod on Picadilly Circus? I don't know whether it's still in force, though?

[eurodestination]

@arcadia449 Who cares

[robmasterman]

A master class in people filming Gary, very clever post production work, which made this another little gem to watch...bob

[eurodestination]

@robmasterman A bit of a rush job all round!

[tramvinicyus2]

Yes, London, I miss you. Last time i saw you it was in 1991. There were still the Cinzano ad on the block. Reading it i was used to feel at home (Vinicio from Rome)

PS My favourite abroad city remains Melbourne

[Joshuasvideoss]

What an amazing video!

[vendyvidoes]

This is really captivating! 

[eurodestination]

@Paulmanorbier You can hardly move there Paul. I'm fine with people pulling faces really. Cheers.