A building housing one of London’s last remaining independent cinemas is set to be turned into a 230-bed hostel.
Criterion Capital, which owns Charles House at 7 Leicester Place, home to the Prince Charles Cinema, promised to “repurpose and revitalise” the four floors above the theatre, an application before Westminster City Council shows.
Architects Boyle & Summers said the proposed hostel will bring a “significant boost” to the local economy by bringing new visitors to the area and offers “natural surveillance” and an increased active frontage.
They also said the proposed development would not be detrimental to the surrounding conservation area because there are no changes being proposed to the building’s exterior.
The Prince Charles Cinema, which is located at basement and ground level, will not be impacted by the proposal, the application shows.
It comes after the Standard reported the cinema is preparing to open a second location at the former Stratford Picturehouse in east London.
In February, the Princes Charles Cinema secured an agreement with its landlord after it was at risk of closure.
The cinema – one of the last remaining independent cinemas in the capital – launched an online petition in January asking for supporters to help save it.
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”.
After receiving more than 160,000 signatures, the cinema organisers have said they have been in discussions with its landlord for the first time in 18 months.
The planned hostel could be made up of as many as 230 beds placed separated by “individual privacy capsules” which have been described as an indoor one-person tent. This is a change to the traditional hostel where the beds are open, according to Boyle & Summers.
The hostel will be made up of unisex washing and toilet facilities and “1 and 2-tier sleeping capsules”. The hostel will not sell any food or beverages.
Criterion Capital proposed linking the hostel to the Victory House Hotel located two doors down. The hostel will be serviced through the hotel’s delivery hub. Criterion owns both buildings.
Amenity society the Soho Society, Prince Charles Cinema and members of the public opposed the plans saying it will lead to a loss of office floorspace, result in “inadequate” accessibility arrangements and jeopardise the operation and long-term future of the iconic cinema, which was recently recognised as a valued cultural asset.
They said the noise created by proposed works would disrupt cinema viewings.
But Centro Planning Consultancy, working on behalf of Criterion, provided the council with marketing material showing the existing office space had been continuously vacant for a 17-month period.
The council carried out independent analysis of the material and concluded there was no demand for office space in the building. They said the plethora of tourist and entertainment attractions made the site less appealing as office space.
They said though the building’s internal make up was stripped “back to brick”, making it highly challenging to market, this did not stop viewings. The council also said the hostel would “increase and diversify the offer of visitor accommodation” within this part of the West End and bolster the visitor economy.
It recommended limiting noisy construction to between 8am and midday to ensure afternoon screenings can continue in the cinema below.
It comes after a similar application was refused in June 2023. At the time, planning permission was refused on land use, amenity and highways grounds.
This included “insufficient” information to justify the loss of office floorspace and a lack of cycle parking spots. It also included fears over antisocial behaviour as visitors congregated on the pavement outside the property due to a lack of internal communal space.
Westminster City Council officers said these issues were rectified in the new application and they are recommending the Planning Committee to grant conditional permission when it meets on Tuesday, September 2.
