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 Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers scheme (S.T.A.R for short) - Theatremonkey.com itself is an Affiliate Member. Look for their 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.

Trafalgar Square
S.T.A.R Member outlet.

Bond Street West One Shopping Centre
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 in Whitcomb Street.

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.

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 (the doorways either side of the yellow sign), are built into the Cranborn Street side of the Hippodrome building:

This one is opposite the other two, and also contains a small showbiz souvenir shop,

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

NOTE: In early 2012, the Hippodrome doorway and booth next to it are temporarily closed as the Hippodrome is refurbished. The company has temporarily opened outlets almost directly opposite - near the "Leicester Square Box Office" company outlets. All are clearly marked "London Theatre Bookings" as usual, and at the time of writing (late January 2012 visitors are unlikely to confuse them with non-STAR outlets, the monkey feels).

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:

Near the entrance to the Trocadero Centre. Excuse the blur... 'twas raining...

Again, excuse the blur - had to be taken quickly...

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 and Covent Garden.

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