Prince Charles Cinema secures 25-year lease after closure threat

London’s Prince Charles Cinema has signed a new 25-year lease with no break clause, resolving a dispute that threatened the independent venue’s future near Leicester Square.

The agreement, announced on 15 October, follows 21 months of uncertainty. Cinema management had opposed a proposed lease term that would have allowed landlord Zedwell LSQ to give it just six months’ notice to leave if the site were to be redeveloped. The settlement ends legal proceedings over the lease.

The campaign drew more than 168,000 petition signatures and support from actors and filmmakers including Paul Mescal and Christopher Nolan. Westminster City Council designated the venue an asset of community value in May 2025, formally recognising its local importance.

The two-screen cinema offers something distinct from a typical multiplex: classic and cult films, rarely screened foreign-language movies, overnight film marathons and musical singalongs. Its programme spans around 850 films and events each year.

Owner Ben Freedman said the security of the new lease would give the team confidence to invest in the cinema’s future. Management thanked supporters and the staff who kept screenings running throughout the dispute.