Prince Charles Cinema Saved by 25-Year Lease Renewal in Leicester Square
The Prince Charles cinema in London's Leicester Square has signed a new 25-year lease with its landlords, ending the threat of closure after 21 months of uncertainty.
Prince Charles Cinema Saved by 25-Year Lease Renewal in Leicester Square
London's independent Prince Charles Cinema has been saved after signing a new 25-year lease with its landlords, ending more than a year and a half of uncertainty over its future.
A lease without a break clause
The Leicester Square cinema announced the deal in a social media post titled "You Saved the PCC", saying it came after 21 months of uncertainty and that it had secured the venue's future. The new 25-year lease contains no break clause, which the cinema said ensures its projectors will keep rolling for years to come.
The venue also thanked its supporters, citing the "support, commitment and belief of many, many people".
The dispute that led here
The agreement closes a conflict that began in January 2025, when the cinema launched a petition claiming its landlord was trying to bully it out of the building. Its landlord is Zedwell LSQ Ltd, owned by developer Criterion Capital.
- The landlord had demanded a break clause in the lease, which was due for renewal in September 2025.
- The clause would have allowed Zedwell to give the cinema six months' notice if it had other plans for the site.
- Criterion Capital denied at the time that it was attempting to intimidate or disadvantage the cinema.
- In May 2025, Westminster City Council designated the Prince Charles an asset of community value.
Both sides on the agreement
Cinema owner Ben Freedman said the venue means an enormous amount to its team, audiences and the arts community, and that having this security gives the cinema the confidence to invest in its future. He added that they were pleased to have reached an agreement that works for both parties and lets them look forward to the cinema's next chapter.
Criterion Capital CEO Vaqas Farooq said the company was delighted to have agreed terms securing the cinema's future. "A 25-year commitment provides real security for the cinema and its fans," he said. Farooq also said the landlords plan to develop a hotel on the building's upper floors.
The dispute drew backing from film fans and industry figures, including actor Paul Mescal and directors Danny Boyle, Robert Eggers, Christopher Nolan and Edgar Wright.
How the venue got here
The building opened as a live theatre in 1962 and was converted to a cinema in 1969 after being bought by the Star Cinema chain, subsequently showing adult movies. In 1991 it was taken over as a repertory cinema with cut-price seats.
