UK's oldest Indian restaurant with Michelin star at threat of closure pleas with King Charles to keep it open

The Sun

29-04-2025

THE UK's oldest Indian restaurant has started a petition to King Charles to save it from closure after 99 years.
The King's property company has refused to extend the restaurant's lease just before its 100th birthday.
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Owners of the iconic Indian Veeraswamy, London, have started a petition pleading with to His Majesty King Charles III to save their beloved restaurant.
On Change.org, the petition read s: "Veeraswamy has operated at the same premises from the time it opened its doors on 16 March 1926 the month before the birth date of the late Queen Elizabeth II (We have owned the premises since 1997).
"In April next year, Veeraswamy will have achieved the very rare milestone of 100 years as a rent-paying tenant to the Crown in the same premises.
"Unfortunately, the Crown Estate, our landlord, has unreasonably refused to extend Veeraswamy's lease.
"This is ostensibly because they require the tiny 11 sq metres of the restaurant entrance to extend their own entrance for the offices on the upper floors, and because planned refurbishment works in the upper floors would render the restaurant unable to operate."
Co-owners Ranjit Mathrani and Namita Panjabi said the explanation does not add up, calling their Crowne Estate's reasoning to scrap the lease as "flimsy."
They continued: "These arguments are flimsy.
"There are alternative reception areas and the work can be carried out elsewhere in the building whilst we are operating, as happened frequently."
So far the petition has racked up nearly 10,000 signatures.
They have applied to the Courts to extend the lease but a decision is not expected until summer 2026, which still puts them at risk of closure before the result.
The owners explained that despite offering The Crown Estate compensation for a loss of income the landlord has denied their requests.
They concluded: "Our distinguished recent clientele has included the Princess Royal, Lord Cameron and overseas monarchs.
"We have twice catered for functions for the late Queen at Buckingham Palace, the only restaurant to have done so.
"In 2016, we became the oldest restaurant to achieve a Michelin Star which we continue to hold."
Veeraswamy on Regent Street has been serving Indian dishes since 1926 but its lease is expiring in June and The Crown Estate has demanded the space in order to finish a 12-month renovation.
After 99 years of service in London, the iconic restaurant will be turned into offices.
A blindsided Ranjit Mathrani, 81, co-owner of MW Eat, said the news"came out of the blue."
He told The Times: "I think they've come to the view that it's too tiresome having a restaurant there, they want it to be all offices.
'They don't care a bugger for history - had they wanted to, they could've easily …put the [office] reception on the first floor. If they'd have asked us to match the [office] rent, I would have.
"The effect of what they're doing would be to effectively destroy a major London institution.'
Due to the ongoing conflict between the owners and the Crown Estate, Mathrani hasn't had the time to find a new site before Veeraswamy's lease runs out.
Now Mathrani faces loss of business and potential redundancies - he said if the landlords were being responsible the restaurant would have been given two years to relocate
A spokeswoman for the Crown Estate said: "We need to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of Victory House.
"This includes a major upgrade to the offices and improving the entrance to make it more accessible.
"Due to the limited options available in this listed building, we need to remove the entrance to the restaurant, which means we will not be able to offer Veeraswamy an extension when their lease expires.'
What is happening to the hospitality industry?
By Laura McGuire, consumer reporter
MANY Food and drink chains have been struggling in recently as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny's closing branches.
Some chains have not survived, Byron Burger fell into administration last year, with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Pizza giant, Papa Johns is shutting down 43 of its stores soon.
Tasty, the owner of Wildwood, said it will shut sites as part of major restructuring plans.
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