Wembley Central Mosque

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The Central Mosque Wembley is situated in the inner London Borough of Brent. The main mosque in North West London, it is located on Ealing Road and serves the UK’s fifth largest Muslim community, which is predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi. Along with the adjacent Muslim Welfare Association, it has a capacity of up to 2200 people.Building detailsThe three-storey semi-detached building was originally a Protestant church designed by Thomas Colcutt and Stanley Hemp but was then purchased in 1993 for £380,000 by the mosque committee. Work began in 1993 and finished in 1996 with the committee spending £100,000 on refurbishing the whole building and the construction of a new ablution area for the men. The mosque has a large hall, a gallery, offices and a funeral room.Construction began on the first expansion project called the Muslim Welfare Association in 2003. Adjacent to the mosque, it is a two-storey building which had been burnt down due to an electrical fault. The cost of the project was £500,000. The renovation work finished in 2005 including a brand new first floor. The centre has two halls, classrooms, ladies area, kitchen unit, meeting room and a main office.History1985: The original Wembley Central MosqueThe MWA Committee was set up in 1985 to organise congregational prayers as there was no mosque in North West London despite the high number of Muslims. The committee purchased a three-storey semi-detached house on Harrowdene Road. It could hold a capacity of up to 400 worshippers but soon the Muslim community was growing. A new and bigger mosque with facilities for all Muslims was necessary.1993: The new Wembley Central MosqueThe St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in the centre of Wembley had been vacant for fifteen years. It was bought by the charity funds of the Muslim community, and the money made from the sale of the smaller mosque, established in 1985 on Harrowdene Road. It took three years to complete all the work that was essential. After the work had been completed, the mosque was ready for use. Soon the mosque held the five daily congregational prayers, Jumu'ah prayers, Ramadan prayers (Taraweeh & Tahajjud) and Eid prayers. The new Wembley Central Mosque held a capacity of 700 worshippers. The mosque was also now allowed to broadcast the live Adhan (call to prayer) using loudspeakers only for Jumu'ah (Friday prayer).