Prince Charles Cinema Secures 25-Year Lease, Averting Closure

The Prince Charles Cinema in London's Leicester Square has secured its future after signing a new 25-year lease, putting an end to over 20 months of uncertainty about its potential closure. The agreement with landlord Zedwell LSQ Ltd, part of Criterion Capital, includes no break clause, providing the cult cinema with long-term security.

The venue had faced the prospect of closure at the beginning of 2025 due to concerns over a potential six-month break clause being added to its contract. In response, the Prince Charles Cinema launched a petition to prevent this clause from being implemented, which garnered significant public support.

In May, Westminster City Council officially declared the cinema an Asset of Community Value, offering it additional protections against redevelopment. However, as recently as August, the cinema's director, Ben Freedman, indicated that a resolution had not yet been reached with the landlord.

The new lease agreement was announced by the cinema via its Instagram account, where it expressed gratitude to the 168,645 signatories of the petition. "The Prince Charles Cinema is thrilled to announce that we have signed a new 25-year lease with no break clause, ensuring our projectors will keep rolling for years to come," a spokesperson stated. "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."

The statement concluded with a promise to remember the public's trust as the cinema embarks on its next 25 years. "We'll be right here…"