End of an era in Uptown Waterloo as the Original Princess Cinema is forced to close

After 34 years in Uptown Waterloo, the screens at the Original Princess Cinema will go dark, and the doors will close. 

The cinema located at 6 Princess Street West was handed a notice on Friday to vacate the building by its landlord, the Huether Hotel. 

It has been renting the space since 1985, and will now have to pack-up and leave to make way for a new tenant. 

John Tutt, the owner of the original Princess was a guest on The Mike Farwell Show on 570 NEWS and says the new tenant will be paying double what he currently pays to rent out the space, something he says could be a contributing factor in the sudden choice to shut down the theatre. 

“I got the impression that they are under financial pressure themselves and it was purely a business decision.”

Tutt adds the notice feels like a gut punch, that will not only be felt by him, but by the entire arts community.

“It's a blow to the fabric of arts and culture in Kitchener-Waterloo. This isn't a story about a dying, independent cinema. This is just a story about may be gentrification or a misplaced decision.”

Tutt says the near-by Princess Twin Cinemas on King Street will remain open for business. 

In the meantime, through the month of May, films that have been meaningful to the Original Princess and the community will be programmed. 

Tutt says the new tenant is not a cinema, but will instead be providing a virtual-reality experience.

Read the full statement from Princess Cinemas below: 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2019
Original Princess Receives Sudden Notice to Vacate 6 Princess St. West

On Friday April 12, 2019, the Huether Hotel informed the Princess Cinema that it is to vacate its premises at 6 Princess St. West in Uptown Waterloo. This notice was sudden and unexpected. It must be emphasized that the Original Princess is a successful cinema and very much a goingconcern. During the years of construction in Uptown Waterloo, while many businesses struggled or perished, The Princess Cinemas fared acceptably well, and this past year was a trending best at the Original. The Princess Twin Cinemas on King St. North remains strong and will continue to provide the independent art-house fare KW film lovers have come to expect. The Original Princess was opened by John Tutt at 6 Princess St. W. in 1985. The Huether Hotel had recently purchased the abandoned building, and the Princess Cinema was their first (and only) tenant in the theatre space. After 34 years, it is a disheartening turn of events that the Original Princess, which has played host to thousands of great films, countless community screenings, live events and memorable moments for so many, will be no more as of June 1, 2019. The new tenant (which is not a cinema) will be paying more than double the current rent. The Princess was not given a chance to negotiate a new lease. With less than 2 months to vacate the premises, the Princess is faced with the daunting task of emptying the venue. In the meantime, through the month of May, films that have been meaningful to the Original Princess and the community will be programmed. Please follow @PrincessCinemas on Facebook to stay tuned to the Original's final screenings in May.