A Landmark of Entertainment
Few buildings in London have packed as many lives into a single address as the Hippodrome on Cranbourn Street, on the eastern edge of Leicester Square. From Victorian circus spectacles to big-band nights, from a legendary nightclub to its current incarnation as a casino, the Hippodrome has been at the centre of West End entertainment for more than a century. Its story is a reminder of how Leicester Square itself has continually reinvented what a night out can mean.
Origins: The London Hippodrome of 1900
The Hippodrome opened on 15 January 1900, designed by Frank Matcham, the most prolific theatre architect of his age. Matcham had already given London the London Coliseum and the Hackney Empire, but the Hippodrome was something different: a circus and variety theatre with a stage that could be flooded to a depth of several feet, allowing water spectacles with diving horses and synchronised swimmers. The building’s name referred to the ancient Greek hippodrome, a course for horse and chariot racing, and the original shows leaned heavily into that equestrian heritage.
Its position was deliberate. By 1900 Leicester Square was the bustling heart of London’s entertainment district, surrounded by theatres, music halls, restaurants and hotels. The Hippodrome joined that ecosystem as a venue that could host almost anything: circus acts, pantomime, variety bills and, later, full-scale musical comedy.
From Variety to Big Bands
In the 1920s and 1930s the Hippodrome shifted towards revue and musical theatre. Shows such as Sunny and Mr. Cinders played to packed houses, and the venue became known for lavish productions with large casts and orchestras. During the Second World War it kept its doors open, offering escapism to Londoners and servicemen on leave.
The post-war years brought another transformation. As tastes changed, the Hippodrome became a music venue, hosting jazz and swing orchestras before rock and roll arrived. In the 1960s it staged packages featuring artists such as the Rolling Stones and The Beatles, and by the 1970s it had evolved into a nightclub. The building’s flexible interior, with its deep stage and generous auditorium, made these reinventions possible without demolishing its character.
The Nightclub Era and Its Legacy
From the late 1970s through the 1990s, the Hippodrome was one of London’s most famous nightclubs. Its disco years drew celebrities, musicians and tourists alike, and the name became shorthand for a big night in the West End. The club’s fortunes waxed and waned as Leicester Square changed around it, with cinema chains, chain restaurants and late-night venues competing for attention.
By the early 2000s the building was in need of renewal. A major refurbishment restored much of Matcham’s decorative scheme while adapting the interior for a new use. In 2009 the Hippodrome reopened as a casino, and it has since become one of the largest and most visited gaming venues in the United Kingdom, spread across several floors with bars, restaurants and performance spaces alongside the gaming tables.
The building has reinvented itself many times over the decades, and today the casino hippodrome stands as one of the West End’s most recognisable landmarks.
Architecture and Atmosphere
Much of the Hippodrome’s appeal lies in its fabric. Matcham’s auditorium featured elaborate plasterwork, a domed ceiling and a sense of occasion that few modern venues can match. The exterior, with its stone facade and prominent corner position, is a familiar sight to anyone walking between Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Inside, later designers have layered contemporary finishes over the historic shell, but the proportions and the grand staircase still recall the theatre’s Edwardian heyday.
Key Dates in the Hippodrome’s Story
- 1900: Opens as a circus and variety theatre designed by Frank Matcham.
- 1920s–1930s: Becomes a home for musical comedy and revue.
- 1950s–1960s: Hosts jazz, swing and rock performances.
- 1970s–1990s: Operates as a celebrated nightclub.
- 2009: Reopens as a casino after extensive restoration.
Why the Hippodrome Still Matters
The Hippodrome is more than a pretty facade. It is a case study in how historic entertainment buildings survive: by adapting, not fossilising. Its successive identities, circus, theatre, music hall, nightclub and casino, reflect the changing habits of Londoners and visitors. For anyone exploring Leicester Square today, the building offers a direct link to the area’s Edwardian past while remaining firmly part of its present-night economy. Whether you are visiting for the architecture, the history or an evening out, the Hippodrome remains one of the square’s essential stops.
