O2 Centre

The O2 Centre (regularly stylised as O2 Centre) is an indoor shopping and leisure centre on Finchley Road, London, near Finchley Road tube station. It is located in between Hampstead, West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage. Owned by the X-Leisure group, and opened in 1998. Despite the same name and very similar logo, it is no relation to the O2 telecommunications brand, which was launched 4 years later. The name was chosen as reference to the spacious feel of the building, as O2 is the chemical formula for Oxygen. The opening of the centre in 1998 came after many years of the site remaining derelict. In the early 1990s the buildings along Finchley Road were demolished in preparation for the centre, but problems with planning permission, with...