London’s famous Prince Charles Cinema saved with new 25-year lease

The Prince Charles Cinema in London’s West End has signed a new 25-year lease with no break clause. The cinema announced the deal on Thursday (15 October), ending 21 months of uncertainty over its future.

Its landlord, Zedwell LSQ Ltd, part of property group Criterion Capital, had sought new terms that included a redevelopment break clause.

That clause would have let the landlord end the lease with as little as six months’ notice if it secured planning permission to redevelop the building.

The cinema, which sits on Leicester Place just off Leicester Square, saw the proposal as a serious threat to its survival.

The venue has operated for decades as a specialist cinema known for repertory programming, all-night film marathons, sing-alongs and cult screenings.

A petition to save the cinema drew 168,645 signatures from supporters in the UK and abroad.

The Soho Society nominated the building as an Asset of Community Value, and Westminster City Council approved the listing in May 2025.

The designation gives local community groups the right to bid for the building if the owner tries to sell it.

Filmmakers, producers, actors and other industry figures also publicly backed the campaign to keep the cinema open.

“After 21 months of uncertainty, we’re delighted to have secured the future of the cinema, and we couldn’t have done it without the support, commitment and belief of many, many people,” said the Prince Charles Cinema in a statement.

The cinema thanked the Soho Society, Westminster City Council, the media, filmmakers and its own staff for their support throughout the dispute.

“You have all placed your trust in us, and as we continue on for at least another 25 years, we promise to never forget that,” it added.

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