The future of the Leicester Square favourite takes another curious turn.
Among the West End's swathe of chain picture houses, the Prince Charles Cinema (PCC) has long stood out as a cheaper, quirkier independent option. Now it looks like it might bud out into its own micro-chain.
The PCC has been on a bit of a roller-coaster of late. As previously related, the cinema has been locked in dispute with its landlord (Zedwell LSQ Ltd and their parent company Criterion Capital) over the terms of its lease renewal. Over 160,000 people have since signed a petition in support of the cinema. A few months back, Westminster Council bestowed 'Asset of Community Value' on the business, in recognition of its unique charms in an area otherwise dominated by big, impersonal chains.
In the latest twist, the Prince Charles is now looking to expand into a second site. It's put in a bid to take over the old Stratford Picturehouse, which has been empty since 2020. The location would tap into the area's burgeoning student and residential populations. Stratford also sees a huge footfall of transitory visitors, attracted by Westfield and the Olympic Park, or just passing through Stratford station which, remarkably, is now the fifth busiest in the country.
This doesn't mean the PCC is turning its back on the West End. "Given what’s happened this year, I understand how it could look like we’re trying to shift operations but that’s not what’s happening,” head of programming Paul Vickery told the Guardian. The battle continues to retain the Leicester Square home.
If it were to open an eastern branch, then the PCC would be in good company. The V&A, Sadlers Wells, BBC and UCL have all cut ribbons on major new venues in the Stratford area, while Soho Theatre recently took over Walthamstow's huge Granada Theatre. Even Mayor Sadiq Khan has taken the road to the east, shifting City Hall from London Bridge to the Royal Docks.
Vickery also teases the idea of opening a third or fourth venue if Stratford is a success. It's still on the ropes, but the Prince Charles Cinema is clearly trying to reinvent itself, even if it IS keeping that name.
