The Mail has reported that Muslim billionaire Asif Aziz is planning to construct a three-storey mosque within one of central London’s most popular entertainment complexes. The mosque, established through the Aziz Foundation, the tycoon’s charitable arm, will be situated inside the Trocadero, between Piccadilly Circus and Soho.Expected to accommodate 390 worshippers, the mosque is set to open within the coming months. Asif Aziz, a Malawian-born billionaire, owns a property portfolio valued at over £2 billion ($2.6 billion) and acquired the Trocadero for more than £220 million in 2005.
The Aziz Foundation stated that the mosque will occupy vacant space in the Trocadero’s basement, providing an essential place of prayer for Muslims who work, visit, and reside in the area. Additionally, the development is anticipated to foster interfaith dialogue and facilitate the coming together of faith communities and community groups by utilizing available space.
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The Piccadilly Community Centre, with its prayer space and support for local community initiatives and interfaith work, is proudly supported by the Aziz Foundation. As per their statement, British Muslims are integral to the fabric of society and contribute significantly in various essential and remarkable ways.
Formerly an entertainment complex on Coventry Street, the London Trocadero was initially built in 1896 as a restaurant but closed in 1965. It was later reopened as an exhibition and entertainment space in 1984, featuring SegaWorld attractions focused on video games in 1996, which were later downscaled and renamed “Funland” before its closure in 2011. Part of the building was converted into a hotel in 2020.
