Earlier this year, my friend found The Little Black Book Of London (published way back in 2010) in a charity shop and gave it to me as a gift. It’s both a treasure trove and a time capsule, complete with a whole back page dedicated just to useful web pages. But one section stuck out to me; the cinema page. Almost half of the indie movie theatres on that list have closed, making the crisis of the industry crystal clear. In that section is the Prince Charles Cinema, standing stoically among its many now-fallen comrades. And now, it needs your help to keep running.
The Prince Charles Cinema has been a landmark for movie lovers across the capital since the ‘60s, drawing in crowds for both big blockbusters and niche films. It’s nestled in Leicester Square, making it one of the last independent cinemas in the whole of Central London. Despite the pandemic closing many cinemas nationwide, the Prince Charles remained and recorded a quarter of a million tickets sold in 2024.
