THE TICKET OUTLET WALKING TOUR

OR:

"S.T.A.R. Search"

Theatreland hosts many booths and small shops competing for your ticket buying custom. Clustered in and around Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue and the streets of Covent Garden and Charing Cross, they offer a huge number of options. As a theatremonkey reader found in March 2003, choosing badly is an evening wrecking mistake. The monkey takes a walk through some of the main areas and assesses the ticket buying opportunities available.

The Society of London Theatre always advise that ticket buyers should ask the "face value" of a ticket - what you would pay at the box office - and expect to pay no more than about 25% more in "booking fees" or "service charges". Also, you should see a seating plan and have any restricted view pointed out, and NEVER sign anything that could reduce your legal rights in the event of a dispute.

An easy way to ensure that you will be buying tickets from a retailer who adheres to this good advice is to pick one who is a member of The Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers scheme (S.T.A.R for short). Look for thier symbol:

With so many outlets all looking alike, though, how can you spot a S.T.A.R? This simple guide may help you choose. Simply click on the area of London below to help you easily locate S.T.A.R member outlets.

DO NOTE THAT some booths do change ownership over time. ALWAYS CHECK FOR the above symbol, and also that you are happy with your seats (pointed out to you on a proper seating plan) and the price you are paying, before actually handing over your money!

Either scroll down to view them all, or choose an area from the list below. For loading convenience, this page deals with places in and around Leicester Square, while the other page takes in outlets in and around Piccadilly Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue, Charing Cross Road and Covent Garden.

Leicester Square and approaching streets:
In Leicester Square itself
S.T.A.R Member outlets.
non-S.T.A.R member outlets.

Coventry Street
S.T.A.R. member outlet
non-S.T.A.R. member outlet.

Irving Street
S.T.A.R Member outlet.

Cranbourn Street
S.T.A.R Member outlets.

Leicester Square Underground Station
S.T.A.R. Member outlet.

Piccadilly Circus
S.T.A.R Member outlets.
non-S.T.A.R member outlets.

Shaftesbury Avenue:
S.T.A.R. Member outlet.

Charing Cross Road / Charing Cross
S.T.A.R Member outlets.
non-S.T.A.R member outlets.

Covent Garden
S.T.A.R Member outlet.
non-S.T.A.R member outlet.

Leicester Square and surrounding streets:

S.T.A.R. Member Outlets:

Coventry Street:

Run by London Theatre Bookings Ltd, this agency also publishes a very useful single page theatre guide, which can be picked up free from the counter of their branches in the area. Customers buying from the "on the day discounts" section on the London Theatre Bookings website are normally asked to collect their tickets from this shop.

A free-standing booth near the "Planet Hollywood Restaurant", it is run by Wheatly Tickets Ltd, a sub-agency of S.T.A.R. member Encore Tickets. Friendly staff too! Sadly, in July 2006 it has temporarily been moved 100 metres around the corner in to Whitcomb Street due to construction work taking place, and was closed at the time the monkey checked.

Leicester Square itself:

The official TKTS "Half Price Ticket Booth". Run by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT)...a GREAT place to buy your discounted theatre tickets.

On the corner of Leicester Square and Leicester Street. Run by Leicester Square Box Office ("L.S.B.O." for short), STAR logos prominent on the signs outside and on the booth windows inside will tell you that you are in the right place.

Irving Street:

Another branch of London Theatre Bookings Ltd. Theatre guide leaflet available to take away.

Cranbourn Street:
and
Both on the south side of the road, and run by Leicester Square Box Office ("L.S.B.O." for short), a giant "S.T.A.R." sticker is in the window of both outlets.  

Opposite these outlets, on the other side of pedestrianised Cranbourn Street, is the "Hippodrome" building (below).

It occupies a corner position on Charing Cross Road (the picture shows this frontage) with a long stretch of shops to the left (in the picture above) that run down Cranbourn Street itself. There are three shops containing agencies here:

This one is inside the doorway of the Hippodrome itself - under the neon sign in the "Hippodrome" photograph (the one above this one). The other two, below (ethe doorways ither side of the yellow sign), are built into the Cranborn Street side of the Hippodrome building:

 
All three are owned by London Theatre Bookings, and all have handy theatre guide leaflets available to take away. 

Leicester Square Underground Station

Located inside the main underground station near the entry and exit gates. This desk is run by West End Theatre Bookings Ltd, and the photograph shows Dan and Renai, two helpful members of the their team. 

Not S.T.A.R. Members:

Coventry Street:

Photograph not available.

Leicester Square itself:

Nothing to do with theatre at all - this books sightseeing tours on buses...and has a nifty line in souvenirs too!

Click here to see the other page, taking in Piccadilly Circus, Shaftesbury Avenue Charing Cross Road / Charing Cross, Covent Garden and Grosvenor Square (near Oxford Street).

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