Malawian Billionaire Asif Aziz plans to turn one of London’s infamous landmarks into a mosque. Aziz, 56, known as “Mr. West End,” obtained permission to convert the historic London Trocadero into the capital’s center.  

The colossal three-story mosque will seat over 390 worshippers and is scheduled to be opened later in the year. 

Earlier plans for a mosque with a capacity of 1,000 on the site faced opposition from residents, leading to their withdrawal in 2020.

However, a revised proposal for a smaller development received approval from Westminster Council at the end of May.

According to The Daily Mail, in May, the council’s planning committee approved the Aziz Foundation’s planning application to convert a section of the London Trocadero.

The London Trocadero opened as a restaurant in 1896; after operating it for almost seven decades, the building ceased its operations in 1965.

After transforming, the London Trocadero reopened in 1984 as an exhibition venue, preserving its renowned baroque exterior. Pepsi and Sega contributed to the site throughout the 1990s, but investors began pulling out due to low visitor turnout. 

Finally, Criterion Capital, which is owned by Asif Aziz, purchased the then property in 2005 for £220 million ($363 million) and began sharing plans on redeveloping the vacant facility.  

In 2020, initial proposals were put forward to convert the basement into a mosque but were later retracted.

Aziz Foundation announced plans for the mosque, catering to local Muslim workers and tourists visiting London. Speculation has circulated regarding the title, some suggesting Aziz will name it “Piccadilly Prayer Space.” 

During the peak of the coronavirus lockdowns, Mr. Aziz gained a reputation as the most stringent landlord in Britain, threatening West End tenants with winding-up petitions if they failed to pay rent.