Piccadilly Circus takeover commemorates the armistice with sound and light installation

In a change to the usual programming, Piccadilly Circus will stop showing garish, flashy ads for an hour this evening, 9th November, and will instead commemorate the centenary of the armistice with a sombre black and red film.

Thousands of black boots will be seen and heard marching across the giant red screen in the centre of London, in what sounds like a chilling reminder of the British soldiers who lost their lives, and all those who fought, during World War 1.

The plan, conceived by The Unlimited Group and Westminster Council, is for the whole of Piccadilly Circus to be bathed in red light from 6pm to 7pm. As well as showing the marching boots, the screens will also tell individual stories of people who served in the war.

Rachael Robathan, Councillor at Westminster Council said: “This is both a memorial and awareness piece, aiming to give meaning to the almost unfathomable scale of the sacrifice along with recognising the important role London and Westminster played.”

Hard to give this a creative score as it hasn’t happened yet, but it sounds like a powerful piece.