Muslim billionaire to convert iconic London landmark into mosque
Trocadero building at Coventry and Rupert Street corner in London, U.K., Aug. 13, 2016. (Shutterstock File Photo)


Billionaire Asif Aziz has obtained permission to convert a part of London’s iconic Trocadero building into a mosque and Islamic center.

The 56-year-old Malawian property tycoon bought the famous landmark for over £220 million ($287.7 million) in 2005 and canceled plans to convert it into a 1,000-capacity mosque in 2020 after complaints from far-right groups and some residents.

But in May 2023, he obtained permission to build a 390-capacity mosque, which will be named "Piccadilly Prayer Space."

The mosque is expected to be inaugurated within a few months, reports said.

Aziz’s foundation wants the mosque to serve tourists and Muslims working in the area.

In recent years, anti-Muslim hate crimes have been on the rise in the U.K.

In 2022 alone, the number of religious hate crimes recorded by police that targeted Muslims was 3,459, a 42% increase compared to the year before.