Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Leicester Square is one of the most famous places in London — but how much of its extraordinary history do you actually know?
On this walk through Leicester Square and the surrounding streets, we uncover the stories hiding behind the theatres, cinemas, pubs and restaurants of the West End.
From Charlie Chaplin and Louis Armstrong to The Beatles, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Ian Fleming, this is an area where London’s entertainment history is everywhere.
We’ll discover the former home of Wisden, the world-famous cricket almanack; the spectacular Hippodrome; the old French quarter that existed before Chinatown; and the tiny chapel where the words to Rock of Ages were written.
There are stories of Mussolini’s fascists, Huguenot refugees, bare-knuckle fighters, Victorian aristocrats, snuff merchants and the Titanic — as well as some of London’s most famous theatres and cinemas.
We’ll visit Leicester Square, the Hippodrome, the Odeon, the Prince Charles Cinema, Café de Paris, Haymarket, His Majesty’s Theatre, Trafalgar Square and plenty of less obvious places along the way.
And there are plenty of film and music connections too — from The Beatles and Bowie to James Bond, Louis Armstrong and the Goonies of the West End.
This is a walk through one of the most familiar parts of London — looking at the stories you might otherwise walk straight past.
If you enjoy unusual London history, forgotten characters, music, films and discovering the stories behind the streets, please subscribe and come along for the walk.
If you enjoy watching my films why not throw me a one-off contribution ➜ joolzguides.com/donate
ORDER JOOLZ GUIDES' BOOK NOW !!!!!
USE THIS LINK ➜ geni.us/joolzguidespubwalks
My Social links ➜ https://linktr.ee/joolzguides
Music by Tom Carradine ➜ carradinescockneysingalong.co.uk
Watch Pathé footage of gun in Trafalagar Square : youtu.be/k9FmYJkhQdc?si=8krM7XH3q368qluF
#London #LeicesterSquare #LondonHistory #LondonWalk #JoolzGuides #WestEnd #LondonHistoryWalk #LondonTheatres
Leicester Square is one of the most famous places in London — but how much of its extraordinary history do you actually know?
On this walk through Leicester Square and the surrounding streets, we uncover the stories hiding behind the theatres, cinemas, pubs and restaurants of the West End.
From Charlie Chaplin and Louis Armstrong to The Beatles, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Ian Fleming, this is an area where London’s entertainment history is everywhere.
We’ll discover the former home of Wisden, the world-famous cricket almanack; the spectacular Hippodrome; the old French quarter that existed before Chinatown; and the tiny chapel where the words to Rock of Ages were written.
There are stories of Mussolini’s fascists, Huguenot refugees, bare-knuckle fighters, Victorian aristocrats, snuff merchants and the Titanic — as well as some of London’s most famous theatres and cinemas.
We’ll visit Leicester Square, the Hippodrome, the Odeon, the Prince Charles Cinema, Café de Paris, Haymarket, His Majesty’s Theatre, Trafalgar Square and plenty of less obvious places along the way.
And there are plenty of film and music connections too — from The Beatles and Bowie to James Bond, Louis Armstrong and the Goonies of the West End.
This is a walk through one of the most familiar parts of London — looking at the stories you might otherwise walk straight past.
If you enjoy unusual London history, forgotten characters, music, films and discovering the stories behind the streets, please subscribe and come along for the walk.
If you enjoy watching my films why not throw me a one-off contribution ➜ joolzguides.com/donate
ORDER JOOLZ GUIDES' BOOK NOW !!!!!
USE THIS LINK ➜ geni.us/joolzguidespubwalks
My Social links ➜ https://linktr.ee/joolzguides
Music by Tom Carradine ➜ carradinescockneysingalong.co.uk
Watch Pathé footage of gun in Trafalagar Square : youtu.be/k9FmYJkhQdc?si=8krM7XH3q368qluF
#London #LeicesterSquare #LondonHistory #LondonWalk #JoolzGuides #WestEnd #LondonHistoryWalk #LondonTheatres
