Queen Camilla’s son has urged his social media followers to sign a petition in a heartfelt plea.
The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square, beloved by Quentin Tarantino, has said it is at risk of closure.
The iconic cinema has accused the property’s owner of “intimidation” in a bitter row over the renewal of its lease.
It has also accused its landlord Zedwell LSQ, controlled by millionaire developer Asif Aziz, of demanding a rent increase significantly above market rates.
Queen Camilla’s son urges social media followers to sign petition in heartfelt plea
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The cinema now fears it will be closed for business and that the property will be redeveloped.
Queen Camilla’s son, Tom Parker Bowles, has waded into the row on social media.
He wrote: “Save The Prince Charles Cinema! This iconic London cinema is at risk of closing due to unfair rent demands.
“Sign the petition to protect its future.”
At the time this article was published, the petition had gained 77,015 out of the 100,000 signatures needed.
The petition reads: “Ensure the Prince Charles Cinema can exist for years to come.
“We are calling on Zedwell LSQ Ltd and their parent company Criterion Capital, immediately to withdraw the demand of a break clause in our new lease and come to the table to negotiate on reasonable terms without the need for a protracted legal process.”
The Prince Charles Cinema is the last independent cinema operating in London’s West End.
The iconic Prince Charles Cinema located in the West End
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The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square pictured in 1973
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The director of the 1980s film Hairspray, John Waters, once called the cinema “the most depraved and beautiful movie theatre in London.”
In a statement, the Prince Charles Cinema said: “We believe that these tactics amount to an attempt by the landlord and Criterion Capital to use their significant financial resources to intimidate us, regardless of our legal entitlement.”
In response, a spokesperson for Criterion Capital said: “Bubble Chamber Limited has initiated lease renewal proceedings on Prince Charles Cinema and the landlord has responded in accordance with Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.”
