The Prince Charles Cinema has announced that it has been designated as an “Asset of Community Value” by its local council.
The landmark Soho independent movie house is currently locked in a battle to save itself from potential closure by its landlords, with an online petition titled ‘Save The Prince Charles Cinema’ currently sitting on over 160,000 signatures (find the petition here).
In an update on its current plight, they posted on Facebook on Friday (May 9) that they have received a sign of support from the local authorities. “Yippee ki-yay,” they wrote. “We are excited to tell everyone that Westminster Council decided on May 1st that the Prince Charles Cinema would be included in the list of Assets of Community Value maintained by the Council under section 87 of the Localism Act 2011.”
“This will make it only the 6th asset currently with this designation. In their announcement letter the Council emphasises that ‘the Prince Charles is distinguished from other local cinemas by means of its independent ethos, unparalleled programming and a close relationship with the local community’.
“We believe that any truly great venue is built on the shoulders of those who work within and those who support it – and we couldn’t have asked for a more passionate and vocal level of support from the many thousands of you who signed the petition, bought tickets, became members or simply just kept coming through our doors. So, thank you to every one of you who took a moment to support our cause.”
“And though this recognition is a huge honour, the fight continues to secure a long term lease that will enable us to invest in our future development and continue to bring the best of what we do to Leicester Place.”
In January, the Prince Charles shared that they were under “serious threat”, explaining that their landlords Zedwell LSQ Ltd and their parent company Criterion Capital were demanding the inclusion of a “break clause” in their new lease agreement.
The cinema argues that the clause would leave them “homeless” with only six months’ notice should the landlords receive planning permission to redevelop the cinema.
In February, they posted an update, saying negotiations with the landlord had resumed and that they were “feeling more positive that we will be able to get a lease without a break clause”. They did, however, warn that there was “still a long road ahead”.
Opening as a theatre in 1962, the Prince Charles has been an independent cinema since 1969. The two-screen venue has an eclectic mix of Hollywood releases, arthouse favourites and classics from every era.
Edgar Wright, director of Shaun Of The Dead and Baby Driver, took to X/Twitter to urge followers “Save The Prince Charles Cinema!” when news of the crisis first broke. Fellow film-maker Richard Ayoade retweeted the cinema’s petition, while actor Daniel Mays (Line Of Duty, Star Wars: Rogue One) and The Mighty Boosh creator Julian Barratt also shared links.
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