Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square 4DX
5 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7NA
5 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7NA
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cineworld, Empire Cinemas UK, Loew's Inc., UCI Theatres
Architects: George Coles
Firms: Chapman Taylor
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Ritz Cinema, Empire 2, UCI Empire 2, Empire Leicester Square Screen 2, Cineworld Cinema at the Empire Theatre - Screen 2
Nearby Theaters
The Ritz Cinema was originally intended to be a newsreel theatre for exhibitors Clavering and Rose. But it opened on 25th November 1937 with William Powell & Myrna Loy in “Double Wedding”, a move-over following 2 weeks screenings at the adjacent Empire Theatre. With a seating capacity of 430, it was designed in an Art Deco style by architect George Coles.
Although not really suited to sit comfortably through feature length movies, due to poor sightlines and an oppressively low ceiling (the cinema was in a basement under an office building), it became popular due to its locality and often acted as a move-over house for popular films from the adjacent Empire Theatre. “Gone With the Wind” shared its premiere run here with the adjacent Empire Theatre and the Palace Theatre on Cambridge Circus/Shaftesbury Avenue from 18th April 1940. When the Empire Theatre ended its run of the film on 11th July 1940, it was to be seen at the Ritz Cinema until 8th June 1944.
It was closed in April 1970 for modernisation to the plans of architects Sidney Kaye, Eric Firmin and Partners. It reopened on 21st May 1970. The seating capacity had been reduced to 393. On 9th November 1972 the Ritz Cinema was re-named Empire 2 opening with Raquel Welsh in “Kansas City Bomber”. In 1973 it reverted back to the Ritz Cinema name. In 1978 improvements and modernisations were made to the cinema, reducing the seating capacity to 350 and it became Empire 2 again. The entrance and small foyer were converted into a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop and the Ritz Cinema’s canopy and signage were removed. It also resulted in the loss of most of the decoration in the auditorium, which is now bland. Patrons now had to purchase tickets from and gain entry to the cinema via the main Empire Cinema foyer, making the former Ritz Cinema, a screen within the Empire complex, with a seating capacity for Empire Screen 2 being 304.
In July 2016 five Empire cinemas were purchased by the Cineworld chain. Including the Empire Leicester Square, the other four are at Basildon, Hemel Hempstead, Poole and Bromley.
In August 2017 the Empire Cinema - at the Empire Theatre - Screen 2 was closed for conversion into a 4DX screen to the plans of architectural firm Chapman Taylor. It reopened in March 2018 as Cineworld Cinema -Leicester Square 4DX with a reduced seating capacity of 136.
On 15th May 2023 the 4DX screen was boarded up by the landlord following a long running dispute with Cineworld over non-payment of rent. It was said that the closure would be permanent. The screen is owned by a separate landlord to the remaining screens located in the historic former Empire Theatre building.
It reopened on 19th July 2024 screening “Twister”.
Contributed by
KenRoe
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Recent comments (view all 32 comments)
Grand opening ad posted from 1937.
As of Monday this screen is closed and cordoned off, due to disputes with the landlord over unpaid rent. An expert is quoted as saying it’s unlikely to reopen as the landlord (different to the rest of the site) has had enough and wants to take back the space. https://www.screendaily.com/news/cineworlds-relationship-with-bruised-uk-landlords-in-the-spotlight-as-leicester-square-4dx-screen-boarded-up-exclusive/5182071.article
From inside the main foyer, there’s no obvious sign that this screen is closed - the doors are closed and the walkway is roped off. A large 4DX sign is still displayed in the foyer too.
Externally, the empty shop unit that previously displayed film posters (and for which planning permission had been applied to turn into a Cineworld-run snack kiosk) has become a shady looking currency exchange office and mobile phone accessory shop, with the window removed and an ugly roller shutter installed in its place.
Zappomatic: Welcome back?!
Thanks for the info–I only just found out about this via a YouTube comment.
1-4 LSQ is owned by Criterion Capital, who also own the Trocadero. As the article notes, they Cineworld were in dispute over rent arrears for Picturehouse Central, and the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the landlord. Presumably, this could be a factor in the apparent breakdown of the relationship.
Criterion seem to have a slightly different approach to other property companies. The Trocadero, in the process of conversion to a hotel, was largely out of action for a protracted period. Also, prime space fronting Coventry Street was used as a very large tourist tat shop…
If the cinema is not going to be repurposed any time soon, then one might ponder the motivation, not least given the costs involved in the 4DX conversion…
(N.B. In saying “Criterion Capital” and “Cineworld” here, I’m ignoring whatever mess of subsidiaries etc. there may be.)
It seems messing the landlord about isn’t just specific to ordinary folk lol !It’s disgraceful as it is the landlords business to make a profit from property…my feeling is mis management of Cineworld accountants who were toying with collapse instead of coming clean and saying we can’t pay atm..hopefully The Empire will still continue
Whatever was going on with Cineworld over the past few years, there’s an “end game”–and it’s an $35m payoff to Mooky Greidinger and colleagues:
Cineworld CEO and top execs secure near $35 million exit payout.
This isn’t what happens to “ordinary folk” when maxxing out all their credit cards!
As for The Empire:
“Cineworld have a lease with 60 years left on it, that’s the landlords next opportunity to take the building back on the basis of a conversion.”
(From comment by theatreofvarieties on Sept 20, 2017.)
Also, IIRC the Casino lease has been extended to 2040.
So, thankfully, I think it’s safe for the foreseeable.
A response to a comment on Cineworld Leicester Square’s Facebook page says “All brand new seats, screen and equipment!” - wonder if they took the chance to refurbish and update during the closure, or if the landlord stripped everything out?
Now open, will be visiting tomorrow so will report back any changes
Reopening commercial:
Now has black seats instead of red, the only obvious change.