Lights go out at London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Lights, the famous illuminated advertising boards that overlook Piccadilly Circus, are to be switched off for an extended period for the first time since the Blitz to allow a complete overhaul.

The current six screens, which advertise brands including Coca-Cola and Samsung, will be switched off in January and dismantled in works that are expected to take until autumn to complete.

The boards have been almost constantly illuminated since the Second World War, with only brief blackouts for power cuts and the funerals of Winston Churchill and Princess Diana. Recently the lights have also been switched off for the annual Earth Hour environmentalism event.

The site is believed to be the most expensive outdoor advertising location in Britain. The patchwork appearance will also be maintained by the new screen, due to be Europe’s largest, but live video streaming and integration with Facebook and Twitter feeds will be added.

Tim Bleakley, chief executive of Ocean Outdoor, said the new technology at the site will “protect its heritage while keeping ahead of trends”.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/