If you’ve wandered past the Trocadero near Piccadilly Circus lately, you’ll have seen the fresh fencing and glossy renders going up on Coventry Street. They’re the first signs of another reinvention for this familiar West End landmark. After a green light from the council’s planning committee, Genting Casinos UK is putting £40 million into turning the site into a full-scale casino. It’s a big move for a building that has reinvented itself many times, and it has people asking what kind of nightlife and culture the centre of London should champion next.
The Trocadero has worn a lot of hats. In the 19th century, it was a lively music hall. Later, it became a grand restaurant, then a sprawling arcade that defined a day out for plenty of 90s kids, and eventually a nightclub. Each version reflected what the city wanted at the time. This new plan follows that pattern: another turn of the wheel rather than a sharp break with the past.
Genting’s vision is not a token refurbishment. The plan is for a 24/7 venue with room for roughly 1,250 people and a proper restaurant meant to draw more than passing footfall. One of the headline promises is jobs, about 350 of them. In a city where costs keep creeping up, that kind of payroll matters. The investment reads as a bet on bricks-and-mortar hospitality at a moment when many assume everything is shifting online.
Many people also enjoy the thrill of playing online, dipping in for a few hands without planning a whole night out. As Matteo Farina notes in a complete list of gambling sites in the UK, the pull is mostly practical, easy logins, a wide choice of games, and withdrawals that don’t drag. That said, if you still want a bit of company from the sofa, live-dealer rooms and active chats keep things social; and for everyone else, venues like the Trocadero aim to deliver the fuller, in-person version of that shared energy.
Not everyone is thrilled. The Soho Society has argued that an all-hours casino could pull the neighborhood in the wrong direction. Soho’s charm is its mix: small venues, art, food, and late-night energy that still feels local. The fear is that a large, always-on operation could swamp that balance and tilt the area too far toward tourist traffic. Supporters point out that other casinos in London manage to operate without steamrolling their surroundings and say a well-run, higher-end venue can fit in without blaring over the rest of the scene.
There’s a bigger trend sitting behind the argument. Digital casinos and betting apps are everywhere and growing. Even so, the Trocadero project suggests there’s still appetite for in-person experiences, the excitement of a busy floor, a drink with friends, the sense of occasion you don’t get from a phone screen. Sometimes it’s less about chasing a quick win and more about a night out, with the games as part of the draw rather than the entire point.
Responsible play will be part of the conversation, as it should be with any gambling venue. The operator will need to show it can run a safe, well-staffed space and be a good neighbour, especially with a 24-hour license. If it gets that right, the project could bring steady work and new spending to the area without sanding away Soho’s character.
The Trocadero has always mirrored London’s mood, loud when the city is loud, glossy when the city is glossy. Turning it into a Genting casino is another chapter in that long story. Whether you’re excited or sceptical, the scale of the investment says one thing clearly: physical entertainment in the West End isn’t fading away. Once the hoardings come down and the doors open, we’ll find out whether this is a smart rebuild or just another short-lived phase, and the building will add one more layer to its already crowded history.
