London's Iconic Piccadilly Circus Lights Shut Off For Renovations

The iconic advertising lights at London's Piccadilly Circus have been switched off and will remain off until the coming fall as work begins to replace the half a dozen billboards with one digital screen.

CNN reported the billboards went dark Monday morning and will remain off for the longest period of time since World War II.

Citing the landmark's owner Land Securities, CNN reported the new 784-square-meter screen will be Europe's largest. Nonetheless, visitors shouldn't notice much of a difference in the lights' appearance, since the new screen will retain the curved shape and patchwork style.

However, by linking the screen with a Wi-Fi network, it can soon be used to stream live events in addition to displaying advertisements.

Fewer distractions at Piccadilly Circus pic.twitter.com/j5Y3R9rqAg

— Susan Claris (@susanclaris) January 17, 2017

Heart of London business alliance chief executive Ros Morgan told the BBC that the upgrade will "bring visitors an enhanced entertainment experience."

Six advertisers will continue to share the screen. According to the BBC, Coca-Cola and Samsung will have spots.

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It's been more than a century since the first electrical advertisement went up at Piccadilly Circus, but just six years since LED lights were installed, replacing old-school neon lamps.

"This is a huge day for Piccadilly lights and though it will be a strange feeling to see them go dark, we're incredibly excited about their future," Land Securities portfolio manager Vasiliki Arvaniti said in a statement. 

"There have been illuminated advertising signs at Piccadilly Circus for more than a century, and the new state-of-the-art screen we're installing will stay true to its tradition as a site for advertising innovation by offering brands pioneering new ways to connect to the 100 million people who pass by each year."

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