Mayor Sadiq Khan says more must be done to protect “one of London’s cultural gems” as campaigners rallied to save a historic Grade II listed West End cinema.
More than 20,000 people have signed a petition protesting against plans from the landlords of Curzon’s historic Mayfair venue to turn it into a single-screen cinema after the operator’s lease expires next March.
A spokeswoman for the mayor said: “London’s cinemas are a huge draw for locals and tourists, but the last few years have been incredibly challenging across the industry.
“The mayor views the Curzon Mayfair as one of London’s cultural gems and an important home for cinema in our city. The Government, local councils, landlords and developers need to do all they can to protect our cultural venues — especially ones as celebrated as the Curzon in Mayfair.”
Curzon want to restore historic features and create a bar and kitchen area, while retaining two screens and a capacity of almost 400.
Their campaign received cross-party support at the London Assembly. Green Party assembly member Zack Polanski, whose motion called on the mayor to write to both the landlord and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport “expressing his concern”, said that support was “a recognition of the need for art and culture in London”.
He added: “This is actually the very first [Curzon] from 1934 so there is clearly a history to this building too.”
Celebrities who have campaigned for the cinema to be retained in its current form include Steven Spielberg, Tilda Swinton, Emily Mortimer and Imogen Poots.
It comes as cinema chain Empire collapsed into administration. Its Walthamstow branch was among six cinemas that closed on Friday.
