CHINESE NEW YEAR: West End's Chinatown gateway gets the go-ahead
Impressive new look for Wardour Street landmark was designed in Beijing
Published 19 February 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM
CHINATOWN is preparing itself for a new gateway after plans were approved by Westminster Council.
The 12-metre arch in Wardour Street symbolises the area’s cultural heritage and it is hoped it will improve Chinatown’s visibility within the West End.
Architects from Beijing were commissioned by the London Chinatown Chinese Association (LCCA) to design the highly decorative gate.
It is part of a wider renewal programme, supported by the council and Mayor of London, which aims to emphasise the area’s cultural origins and introduce more of an authentic image of China.
It is hoped the new Chinese Gate will be in place in time for London 2012, with the LCCA already beginning a fundraising drive to cover the maintenance costs.
LCCA president Leslie Ng said: “London Chinatown is one of the most concentrated and centrally located Chinatowns in a Western city – and every year we welcome many thousands of visitors from all over the world. The new Chinese Gate will be a wonderful entrance to the sights, sounds and smells that make London Chinatown so special. Authentic in design, the new Chinese Gate will attract visitors and Londoners, and demonstrate that London truly is a world city.”
Cllr Michael Brahams, chairman of Westminster City Council’s planning applications sub committee, which gave the plans for the gateway the go-ahead, said: “This gate will form part of the next exciting phase for Chinatown following the multi-million pound programme of improvements already carried out in the area. A gateway like this reveals that there are fresh and exciting sights around every corner of the West End, and will work well alongside the council and its partners’ ambitious plans to renew London’s Chinatown and ensure that the West End continues to be one of the world’s best places to come to.”