Council helps protect London’s Prince Charles Cinema with formal recognition
The Prince Charles Cinema, situated in the heart of London’s West End, has been included in the Council’s list of Assets of Community Value.
The beloved venue is, therefore, saved from imminent peril after a dispute with its landlord, Criterion Capital. Falling under section 87 of the Localism Act 2011, this makes it only the sixth asset ever to receive this designation from the council.
The council said of the venue: “The Prince Charles is distinguished from other local cinemas by means of its independent ethos, unparalleled programming and a close relationship with the local community.”
On a heartfelt Instagram post, the venue shared the great news and thanked the local community for rallying around the creative hub. The caption read: “We believe that any truly great venue is built on the shoulders of those who work within and those who support it – and we couldn’t have asked for a more passionate and vocal level of support from the many thousands of you who signed the petition, bought tickets, became members or simply just kept coming through our doors.”
However, the fight for their future is still not over yet. They continued in the post: “And though this recognition is a huge honour, the fight continues to secure a long term lease that will enable us to invest in our future development and continue to bring the best of what we do to Leicester Place.”
The London Picture House first opened its doors in 1962 and is a beloved cultural institution adored by film fans, as well as directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson once said of the cinema: “The Prince Charles has a place in my heart. It’s the people, the programming, the accessibility, feeling, texture… you cannot go wrong.”
The venue still urges cinema-goers to sign the petition entitled “Save The Prince Charles Cinema.” At the time of writing, it has over 160,000 signatures, nearing its goal of 200,000.
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