55 New Oxford Street London

Alright, picture this. You're strolling down Oxford Street, London's bustling shopping mecca, when suddenly, you find yourself face-to-face with a building that's like the quirky cousin of the city's usual architectural crew. Welcome to 55 New Oxford Street, the place where weird meets wonderful, and you're about to get a front-row seat to its eccentric show.

First Impressions: The Building That's Always Late for Work

Now, don't get me wrong, 55 New Oxford Street isn't your average, run-of-the-mill skyscraper. It's more like the building equivalent of that friend who's always fashionably late, but in a 'you'll miss me when I'm gone' kind of way. You see, it's the only building on the street that's not aligned with the others. Yep, you heard it right. It's the architectural equivalent of the class clown, sticking its tongue out at the rigid grid of London's streets.

But why, you ask? Well, it turns out that back in the day, the city planners were like, "Nah, we're good on the straight lines, thanks." So, the building's architect, Ernő Goldfinger, decided to give it a little twist. Literally. And thus, the building that's always late for the grid was born.

Inside the Goldfinger: A Building with a Secret Identity

Now, you might be thinking, "That's all well and good, but what's inside this tardy tower?" Well, buckle up, because things are about to get even weirder. You see, 55 New Oxford Street has a secret identity. By day, it's a humble office block, but by night, it transforms into... a cinema!

That's right, folks. Hiding behind its corporate facade is the Princess Cinema, a bijou movie theater that's been entertaining Londoners since the 1930s. Talk about a building with a split personality!

But wait, there's more. This isn't your average multiplex. Oh no, it's got more secrets than a spy novel. For instance, did you know that during World War II, it was used as an air-raid shelter? Yep, it's like the building equivalent of a superhero, saving the day in its spare time.

55 New Oxford St, London, WC1A 1BS | Commercial Property to Rent | LoopNet

The Building That Loves a Good Argument

Now, you might think that with all these secrets, 55 New Oxford Street would be happy to keep a low profile. But no, this building loves a good argument. In fact, it's been in a bit of a tiff with the city planners for years. You see, the building's architect, Goldfinger, was so proud of his creation that he refused to change a thing, even when the city wanted to widen the street.

And you know what? He won. The building stands today, just as Goldfinger designed it, a testament to the power of architectural stubbornness. Take that, city planners!

Visiting the Building That's Always Late for the Party

So, if you find yourself in London, why not pay a visit to 55 New Oxford Street? It's a bit like meeting a celebrity - you know, the kind that's always late but always worth the wait. Just don't be surprised if it turns out to be a bit of a chatterbox. After all, it's got a lot of stories to tell.

And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, you'll catch it on one of its late-night cinema shifts. After all, even buildings need a bit of R&R after a hard day's work. Just don't tell the city planners. We wouldn't want them to ground it early.