Prince Charles Cinema is saved from closure after signing a new 25-year lease with no break clause

Leicester Square's Prince Charles Cinema has locked in its future with a new lease running 25 years and containing no break clause, ending 21 months of acrimonious uncertainty. The cult venue has been operating as a cinema since 1969 but faced the prospect of closure after its landlord, Zedwell LSQ Ltd — owned by Criterion Capital — pushed for a break clause that would have given it just six months to vacate. Westminster Council designated the building an Asset of Community Value in May 2025, bolstering the cinema's position. Over 168,645 people signed a petition in support of the venue.

Criterion Capital CEO Vaq Farooq said the 25-year commitment 'provides real security for the cinema and its fans'.

Filmmakers including Christopher Nolan, Danny Boyle, Robert Eggers and Edgar Wright had publicly backed the campaign to save the venue.

The cinema announced the deal on its iconic marquee with the words 'YOU SAVED THE PCC'.