Asif Aziz

[10] Through Criterion, the Trocadero entertainment complex was closed down in 2011 and re-opened in 2020 as the Zedwell Piccadilly - a hotel with 728 windowless rooms and a rooftop bar.

[14] Aziz has been criticised by the political magazine Private Eye for using companies registered in the Isle of Man to buy properties in London, especially pubs, and then close them down to replace them with more lucrative housing developments.

[18] In late 2024, Aziz's property company, Criterion Capital, became associated with the planned closure of the world's first YMCA, located on London's Great Russell Street.

[19] The decision to close the historic facility, which had served as a vital community hub since 1844, sparked significant public outcry and a grassroots "Save YMCA Club" campaign.

[20] Campaigners criticized Criterion Capital for prioritizing redevelopment over preserving the site's community purpose and urged collaboration to explore sustainable alternatives.

[21] The company again came under discussion in early 2025 after the Prince Charles Cinema stated that their landlord Zedwell LSQ Ltd (owned by Criterion Capital) were demanding both a significant raise in rent and a 6 month break clause in the new lease.