Community support included praise from the Soho Society and Westminster Council, reinforcing the cultural value of the cinema.

The cinema expressed gratitude to 168,645 petition signatories who stood with it during the fight to survive.

The Prince Charles cinema in Leicester Square has secured a new 25-year lease with no break clause, ensuring its continued operation and avoiding closure after a protracted campaign.

The lease victory followed a public campaign backed by film industry figures and supporters, with Westminster Council designating the venue as an Asset of Community Value and petitions from fans.

supporters and local bodies praised the outcome, noting that the designation and petition signatures helped shore up preservation efforts.

Ben Freedman, the cinema’s owner, said the security of the long lease will enable investment in the venue and its future programming.

Criterion Capital’s CEO Vaqas Farooq described the 25-year lease as providing security for the cinema and its fans.

The owners also announced plans to develop the building’s upper floors, including a potential hotel, as part of broader development.

The Prince Charles is famed as London’s only independent cinema in the West End, known for all-night screenings and repertory seasons that attract a hip, film-savvy crowd.

The deal ends a period of uncertainty that began with concerns over a six-month break clause and landlord redevelopment plans, which had threatened closure.

The conflict with landlord Zedwell LSQ Ltd, tied to Criterion Capital, had driven the lease dispute and earlier talks of redevelopment.

As part of the celebration, the cinema looked forward to a renewed era of programming, including extended runs and director-led events, under the new long-term lease.