Prince Charles Cinema is once again under threat of closure
Landlords are the worst
Is there a more-loved London cinema than the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square? The West End institution has been showing cult films, midnight movies and classics on 35mm since the ‘60s, a slightly rough-and-ready gem while the rest of the West End’s screens have become increasingly glitzy.
But despite its many hardcore (and often famous) fans, the independent cinema is once again under threat of closure.
A new report from London Centric says that the long-running battle between the Prince Charles Cinema and its landlord is kicking off again. Property giant Criterion Capital is taking the PCC back to court in September, with the cinema still fighting for a new lease that it says will allow it to continue operating without the constant threat of being turfed out.
The dispute first became public in January 2025, when the cinema launched its Save The PCC campaign. Its argument was fairly straightforward: its landlord wanted a new lease containing a six-month break clause, meaning the cinema could potentially be forced to leave if planning permission was secured to redevelop the building. The PCC also claimed the proposed rent was significantly above what it considered to be the market rate.
More than 167,000 people have now signed the cinema's petition calling for the break clause to be removed.
The battle isn't over
According to Prince Charles Cinema owner Ben Freedman, very little has changed since the dispute first went public. The two sides are due to return to court in early September for another pre-trial hearing, as the cinema continues its legal fight for a new lease.
The PCC says it is entitled to a new tenancy under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, at a market rent, and has prepared its case with property experts and legal counsel.
Complicating matters while the future of the cinema is being fought over, the building above it is being transformed.
Plans have been approved for the upper floors of the building to become a capsule-style hostel, with around 230 beds. The development is being pursued by the same property interests connected to Criterion Capital, the cinema's landlord.
From the cinema's perspective, that makes the situation rather more uncomfortable. The PCC has previously said building works associated with the development have already caused disruption, including temporary closures.
The landlord, meanwhile, has maintained that it values the cinema and that it is operating within the relevant legal framework. Criterion Capital has previously denied attempting to intimidate or disadvantage the cinema.
Crucially, despite the legal wrangling, the cinema hasn't gone anywhere. In fact, its programme currently stretches well into the autumn and winter, with everything from best-worst-ever-film The Room with Tommy Wiseau, to Blade Runner, In The Mood For Love and its always-ridiculous roster of cult film events.
Regardless, the future is again shaky for the Prince Charles Cinema. With famous fans including Edgar Wright, Paul Thomas Anderson and Quentin Tarantino, hopefully they can put their industry swagger to good use and drum up some global support for the embattled venue. Do your part too — book a screening here.
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