Blackout hits London's Soho on Black Friday Published duration 25 November 2016

media caption Piccadilly Circus is almost unrecognisable in this video

Black Friday took on another meaning in central London when a power cut plunged a large part of Soho into darkness.

Theatre shows were cancelled and shops closed as tourists and shoppers tried to enjoy the capital's night life.

UK Power Networks said 2,300 properties had been affected by the blackout which began at 17:16 GMT.

The network operator said power had been restored shortly after 21:00 and apologised "for the disruption this caused to everyone's evening".

image copyright @xiotex image caption The advertising board in Piccadilly Circus lost all power

image copyright Anna Deery image caption Chinatown was another area to suffer a power cut

Aladdin the Musical at the Prince Edward Theatre was one of several shows where ticketholders were told they would be given refunds after the shows were called off.

Theatre shows in the dark

Thriller

Aladdin the Musical

Jersey Boys

Les Miserables

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Electricity was earlier restored at shows such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child where audience members were advised the performance would start late.

Theatregoer Sarah Ellacott said there had been "rapturous applause" at the theatre when the power returned.

image caption Signs on the doors of Queen's Theatre informed ticketholders the show had been called off

image copyright Twitter

Kurt Pollington, 56, who works on nearby Bond Street said there was a "weird atmosphere" throughout Soho while a lack of working traffic lights had caused "gridlock" around Shaftesbury Avenue.

The power cut did not affect the Tube network, according to Transport for London (TfL).

UK Power Networks said: "An underground electricity cable has faulted on our high voltage network causing an area wide power cut."

image copyright Myles Lester image caption The power cut began at 17:16 GMT

image caption About 2,300 properties have been affected by the blackout

Related Topics Soho