“We're just a little cinema standing in front of a landlord, asking them to treat us with respect.”
The Prince Charles Cinema, located just off Leicester Square, is a favourite for those with a passion for cult films and a love of movie marathons.
Huge directors have also expressed their love for the iconic picture house, including Quentin Tarantino, John Waters and Paul Thomas Anderson, with the latter saying it “has a place in my heart”.
However, since January 2025, the cinema has been in open dispute with its landlord Zedwell LSQ Ltd and its parent company Criterion Capital, who want to raise the rent and add a six-month break clause.
If triggered, the cinema, which has been running since the 1960s, could potentially be forced to leave if the landlords decided to redevelop.
The cinema has received a wave of public support, with more than 167,000 people signing a petition to have the break clause removed.
Little has changed more than 18 months later, and with no agreement secured, the cinema is scheduled to head to court to challenge its landlords.
Ben Freedman, the cinema’s owner, told The Standard that the legal process has been “very long” and “frustrating”.
“It's expensive. I mean we're up against a £6 billion property company. We have very good professionals we've appointed because we felt it was important to have good representation, but that comes at a cost.”
“From our point of view, we think we have reasonable demands. We’re a little confused as to why they are treating us in this manner.”
“It doesn't seem productive, and you occasionally feel bullied.”
He explained that the cinema is willing to go “all the way” to ensure their business is kept safe. “If that means leaving it for a judge to decide, so be it.”
Freedman added that since the dispute began, fans have been more committed than ever to attending screenings to keep the business thriving. ”It evens what felt originally like a bit of an uneven playing field.”
In addition to the wave of support, including from the likes of Paul Mescal and Edgar Wright, the cinema has also been supported by the local council, who has designated it an Asset of Community Value.
This means it is seen as a building that’s important to the community and has extra protections.
The cinema has previously claimed that the developers are trying to “bully us out of the building”.
It said: “Losing The Prince Charles Cinema would mean losing not just an iconic cultural institution, but also an engine for the economy of the West End that brings people from all over London and the surrounding area to watch films, shop and eat and drink.
“This would have repercussions way beyond the building itself.”
The Standard has reached out to Criterion Capital for comment.
