See the brilliant archive pictures of Piccadilly Circus through the years as the lights return

From shining through foggy mornings to being dimmed for the death of Winston Churchill, there’s a lot of history in the lights.

Published Oct 26, 2017

The neon extravaganza of Piccadilly Circus has returned after a 10-month hiatus for redevelopment work.

The world-famous advertising lights were turned off in January to allow for a new-style screen to be installed.

Here we look back at some moments in the lights’ history:

1959

Weather – London Fog – Piccadilly — (PA)

Adverts for Bovril, Coca-Cola and Wrigley’s chewing gum were illuminated.

1965

Lights of London's Piccadilly Circus switched off in tribute to Sir Winston Churchill (PA) — (PA)

1995

Labour advertises on the Piccadilly Circus billboards (Neil Munns/PA) — (Neil Munns/PA)

The slogan read: “Whatever he does today, you’re still worse off”.

2007

Coca-Cola’s prime advertising slot was also accompanied by the Stoke City logo because the drinks giant was the sponsor of the Football League. The same year, people could pay for personal messages to scroll through the adverts.

2009

Lights were also turned off across famous landmarks and buildings around the world including, in London, the Palace of Westminster, Wembley Stadium and Canary Wharf.

2012

Poetry lights up London landmark Piccadilly Circus (Dominic Lipinski/PA) — (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The poetry sat alongside adverts for Diet Coke, Hyundai, Samsung and McDonald’s.

December 2016

January 2017

October 2017

The advertising screens at Piccadilly Circus in central London are switched on for the first time in nine months after the electronic hoardings were replaced with a state-of-the-art screen measuring 790 square metres. — (Stefan Rousseau/PA)