London’s theatre land area is to get a makeover courtesy of a £6 million pound cash injection, the first 1.8 million of which "has been raised from Transport for London, Westminster council, the Cross-River Partnership and theatres themselves".
The scheme has plans to widen the pavements on Coventry street, the tourist rat-run between Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square, and improve the lighting in the overall area to discourage muggers, drug-users and other inhabitants of the shadows.
The plans, like pretty much anything else that goes on in London even vaguely near a theatre these days, has the backing of Kevin Spacey and also includes some more intriguing design ideas.
Neil Hall, Westminster's project leader, said: "You could arrive at the theatre when the lighting is all blue, come out and the lighting guides you to the nearest Tube or taxi rank.
Then, after 11pm, the lighting could come up strongly to encourage people to go home."
Being at a pub when the harsh lighting kicks in is bad enough, but several square blocks of people recoiling in terror when faced with a closer look at their proposed companions for the remainder of the evening will be something to behold.
