The iconic Prince Charles cinema in London’s Leicester Square has said it is prepared to go “all the way” in the legal process to resolve an 18-month-long lease dispute with its landlord, which could see it forced to close.
The cinema’s owner, Ben Freedman, who is Jewish, confirmed he and his team would be heading back to court this month in the hope of securing the future of the beloved venue, which is a favourite of Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan, among others.
The Prince Charles went public in its battle with landlord Zedwell LSQ Ltd and its parent company, Criterion Capital, in early 2025, claiming that the developers were trying to “bully us out of the building”.
When negotiating an extension to the cinema’s lease, Zedwell reportedly asked to add a break clause allowing them to end the agreement if they received permission to develop the land.
The Prince Charles alleged that this demonstrated the company’s intent to evict them in favour of a luxury development in Leicester Square.
It also claimed that Zedwell asked for a rent increase “far above market rates” and beyond what they could reasonably pay in an attempt to force them out.
In response, management set up the SaveThePCC campaign and took Zedwell to court to contest the valuation of the lease, while also securing a designation from the local council as an asset of community value.
This means that the landlord must notify the council if it intends to put the building up for sale, and councillors can then impose a six-month delay to allow the local community an opportunity to fundraise and match the fair value of the site.
“It feels to us that every way possible there is to slow it down and make it more expensive is chosen,” said Freedman, adding that the legal battle had been “expensive” and “tiresome”.
“These tactics are an attempt to use significant financial resources to intimidate us regardless of legal entitlement.”
Following the launch of the campaign, the Prince Charles received a wave of support from the public, with over 167,000 people signing a petition to keep the building open.
The cinema is also being flooded with support from A-listers such as Paul Mescal and Edgar Wright.
Following the release of his new summer blockbuster, The Odyssey, Nolan said: “Film culture in Great Britain is unthinkable without the Prince Charles.”
Director Paul Thomas Anderson also expressed his love for the iconic picture house, saying it has “a place in my heart”.
Asked about progress in resolving the dispute with Criterion and the relationship between the two side, Freedman added: “Our lawyers have a relationship with their lawyers.
“We haven’t heard from them since last January.”
Nonetheless, he insisted the cinema is willing to go “all the way” to protect their business “if that means leaving it for a judge to decide, so be it”.
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