The Prince Charles Cinema is one of the best things about central London. Apart from delicious dim sum in Chinatown and going to the theatre, it’s my main reason for venturing into the hellscape that the area between Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus has become. Now, its landlord could be making moves to earmark its site for renovation.
It’s a stalwart of independent cinema, the only place you can go to see the latest horror film, a hard-to-find overseas release, or a Lord of the Rings movie marathon. Not only is it a much-loved institution that’s been around since the Sixties, it’s a London success story. While cinemas are shuttering in the face of streaming services, the PCC sold over 250,000 tickets to 858 films in 2024 alone.
