In the petition, the cinema called on its landlord, Zedwell LSQ Ltd, and its parent company, Criterion Capital, to “immediately withdraw the demand of a break clause in our new lease” and to come to the table to negotiate on “reasonable terms”.
In the petition, 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.
The cinema organisers previously said that efforts to renew its lease, which is due to expire in September 2025, at a market rate, have been challenged by Zedwell LSQ Ltd and its ultimate parent company, Criterion Capital.
The cinema operators said the landlord had demanded a clause which, if triggered, would leave the cinema homeless with just six months’ notice.
The Prince Charles Cinema, off Leicester Square, one of the last remaining independent cinemas in the capital, launched an online petition last month asking for supporters to help save the venue.
