The Prince Charles Cinema (PCC) has come out swinging in its fight against closure, but the threat still remains.
The iconic West End picture house which has been around since the Sixties and is one of the few independent cinemas in central London, is in jeopardy of redevelopment by its landlord Zedwell LSQ Ltd and its parent company Criterion Capital.
The PCC claims their landlord wants to set a rent far above market rate with no supporting evidence for the increase, and is seeking to include a redevelopment break clause. If a break clause is included in the new lease, it would allow the landlord to terminate the rental contract and kick out the PCC at any time.
See also: 'If a billionaire landlord closes the Prince Charles Cinema I am going to riot'
A spokesman for Criterion Capital has said: “A break clause is standard commercial practice, reflecting long-term property planning, not unreasonable intent. Our rental expectations are based on a fair market assessment, and we remain open to constructive dialogue within legal frameworks to resolve disagreements.”
At the time of writing, over 155,800 people have signed a petition to keep it open.
Now, the PCC is stepping up its campaign as it looks to cement its status as a culturally significant institution and is calling on its loyal patrons to share examples and reasons as to why they love it along with cherished memories from past visits.
Having been a long-time supporter myself, it would be a travesty to see the PCC close, especially given how it has continued to thrive in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic and rise of online streaming. While a number of big chain cinemas have been forced to shutter over the last couple of years due to a drop in foot fall, the PCC sold over 250,000 tickets to 858 films in 2024 alone — that’s no mean feat.
Unlike other cinemas, it doesn’t just cater to the latest big blockbuster releases either and encourages its own community through its annual schedule of unique events.
Attending sing-a-long screenings of Muppets Christmas Carol with my friends has become an annual tradition and a real highlight of our year. Yes, we could just pop on a DVD or stream it at home, but there’s something quite magical about coming together with a room full of like-minded people and singing full-voice as Sir Michael Caine plays Charles Dickens’ Scrooge “as serious as a car accident” around a cast of zany Muppets. As the Ghost of Christmas Present observes, “It feels like Christmas”.
It’s interactive in other ways as well as in addition to a pre-show with someone dressed up as Father Christmas who hosts a fancy dress/best Christmas jumper competition, you are encouraged to do certain things when characters appear on screen such as “boo” for Scrooge and shout “hiiiyaaa” for Miss Piggy, who in The Muppet Show is famed for her karate chops.
I’ve also attended the PCC’s famous Labyrinth Masked Ball dressed as David Bowie’s Goblin King — where else would I get to do this? The stares on the tube were more than worth it.
Another highlight was getting to meet actual Billy from Gremlins when actor Zach Galligan hosted a special Q&A ahead of a screening of the cult creature flick.
The PCC has also become an integral part of Fright Fest, the largest independent international thriller, fantasy, and horror film festival.
The PCC not only works as a viable business model, it offers fun and escapism in a time where we need it most. There is nothing else like it in London and if it closes, there never will be again.
Tina Campbell is celebrity correspondent
