
UK's oldest Indian restaurant faces closure in dispute with crown estate
Yet despite surviving the Blitz and London's relentlessly competitive restaurant sector, a dispute with the current monarch's property developer threatens the survival of London's oldest Indian restaurant just short of its 100th anniversary.
The crown estate, which owns Victory House, the listed building housing the Michelin-stared Veeraswamy restaurant near Piccadilly Circus, has said that it cannot continue to extend its lease against the backdrop of plans to refurbish and upgrade offices in the same property.
Veeraswamy's co-owner Ranjit Mathrani is now heading to the high court to attempt to have the lease extended. He intends to lodge objections to the plans.
Mathrani is also sure that the royal family would be unhappy to hear what is being done in their name to a restaurant long regarded as the grand dame of British-Indian food.
He said: 'They believe in history, in living history, and that's what this restaurant is. It's not just a museum, and I think they would be disappointed that an institution bearing their name would be so heartless.'
At lunchtime on Monday, diners waxed lyrical about the restaurant's heritage and current menu, which includes classics such as patiala shahi raan en croute, a Welsh lamb shank slow-cooked for six hours before being wrapped in pastry and grilled in a tandoor.
The same menu includes photos of its historical equivalents, which included wartime offerings of lobster mayonnaise, jugged hare and sherry trifle. While the fare has evolved and sought to keep pace with modern British-Indian cooking, celebrity guests have remained constant.
One diner said: 'It's just a really lovely place and for as long as I can remember there's always been a sort of excitement about it. It was a few years ago but I can remember coming here and the Prince of Wales was in another part of the restaurant. They had curtains drawn but there was a buzz.'
Established in 1926 by Edward Palmer, the great-grandson of the first governor general of India's private secretary and a north Indian Moghul princess, the restaurant was intended to 'educate' Londoners about Indian food decades before the era of celebrity chefs. It was sold in 1934 to an MP, Sir William Steward, who made it a fashionable rendezvous among royalty and British elites returning from India.
After a period of decline in the 1980s, it was bought by Mathrani and Namita Panjabi, who poured resources into recreating its past glories. In 2008, the restaurant catered for a function held by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and it was invited back to launch the UK-India 2017 Year of Culture. In 2016, it was awarded a Michelin star.
Nevertheless, modern commercial motivations are now a factor in its future. The crown estate, the royals' ancient portfolio of land and property across England and Wales, wants to take back the restaurant because it plans to extend a ground-floor reception area for offices upstairs in the building that houses Veeraswamy. Knocking into the restaurants's entrance area, where a uniformed usher greets visitors, would give an extra 11 sq metres.
The crown estate said in a statement issued this week that it needed 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,' it added. '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.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Mauritius ‘to receive £35bn' for Chagos deal over 99 years
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel accused ministers of trying to 'cover up' the cost of ceding the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, accusing them of using an 'accountancy trick' to price the deal at £3.4 billion. The higher figure, released after a freedom of information request to the Government Actuary's Department, is a nominal amount. Adjusted to account for inflation, the deal is thought to be worth an average £101 million a year in 2025/26 terms, lowering the value to around £10 billion in today's money. The UK Government has agreed to cede the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius but retain control of the military base on Diego Garcia. Ministers feared that without a deal, the base's future was in doubt amid challenges in international courts and tribunals. 'We've all known it's a terrible deal with huge costs to hard-pressed British taxpayers,' Dame Priti wrote in The Telegraph, which first reported the figures. 'But for months, ministers in public and Parliament have sought to cover up the true amounts.' Dame Priti also warned that 'instead of owning up to the costs, Labour has used an accountancy trick to claim the amount was only £3.4 billion – still a vast waste of money'. She described the £35 billion figure as 'mind-blowing', and labelled Foreign Secretary David Lammy as ''Calamity' Lammy'. Dame Priti accused him, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Attorney General Lord Hermer and special envoy for the negotiations Jonathan Powell of being 'the worst team of negotiators in history'. The figures, seen by the PA news agency, show that the Government used a Treasury principle to reduce the figure by between 2.5% and 3.5% per year to £3.4 billion. This 'social time preference', used since 2003, is based on the idea that taxpayers would prefer to get their return on the deal sooner rather than later.


Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scottish city called 'an urban wanderer's delight' named country's pub capital
A Scottish town has been named country's top pub city, boasting nine pubs per square mile, far ahead of Glasgow and Edinburgh. The future of Scottish pubs has been thrown into doubt as more drinkers swap pints in the bar for evenings in their own living rooms. Rising living costs, soaring energy bills and limited government support have combined to create a challenging climate for the trade. Despite the difficulties, pubs remain a cornerstone of social life. They are often the places where friendships are formed, relationships begin and where conversations with strangers can banish loneliness, Scottish Daily Express reports. For those keen to enjoy a change of scene from their local, Dundee has emerged as one of the most appealing destinations in the country. Recent research placed the city at the top of Scotland's pub rankings. Analysis by games room specialists Liberty Games found Dundee has nine pubs for every square mile, giving it the joint fifth-highest density in the whole of the United Kingdom. It comfortably outperformed Scotland's largest cities, with both Glasgow and Edinburgh recording just five pubs per square mile. The study examined the addresses of more than 50,000 British pubs alongside geographical data from over 350 locations to determine where drinkers have the greatest choice. Dundee's strong showing has reinforced its growing reputation as a lively hub for socialising. An online discussion about the city's best modern pubs has highlighted a range of popular options. The Nether Inn on Nethergate was the most frequently mentioned and holds the number one spot on TripAdvisor. Known as a favourite with the student crowd, it offers food during the day and, according to TripAdvisor, becomes 'the place to go' at night. Molly Malones, which has been pouring drinks since 1823, remains a West Port institution. Other venues attracting praise include Abandon Ship on Whitehall Crescent and The Glass Bucket on St Andrew's Street, both of which have earned high scores on Google. Bergies on Bell Street, The Speedwell Bar on Perth Road and Draffans on Couttie's Wynd also rank highly among locals and visitors. However, Dundee's appeal extends far beyond its pub scene. VisitScotland describes the city as offering 'all sorts of treasures' and being 'an urban wanderer's delight.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The V&A Dundee, the first branch of the world-famous museum outside London, has become a major draw. Located on the waterfront, it hosts a rotating calendar of exhibitions that attract visitors from across the country. Just a short walk away, Captain Scott's RRS Discovery offers a glimpse into polar exploration history, while the Mills Observatory provides the chance to view the stars from what was the UK's first purpose-built public observatory. Those seeking outdoor attractions can head to Camperdown Country Park, a sprawling green space ideal for walking and wildlife watching. The nearby suburb of Broughty Ferry adds to the city's charm, with its historic castle, award-winning beach and a wide selection of independent shops and cafes.


Economist
3 hours ago
- Economist
Cow's milk, as well as Russian oil, fuels the US-India trade war
Donald Trump has beef with India for buying oil from Russia. But the American president's tariffs totalling 50% on many Indian exports—set to come into force later this month—are not just about geopolitics. Agriculture and dairy have been the most contentious issues in India's talks with America, which broke down this month. And it is over farming that India's equally combative prime minister, Narendra Modi, has chosen to fight back. 'India will never compromise on the wellbeing of its farmers, dairy and fishermen,' he thundered in Delhi on August 7th, a day after Mr Trump's announcement.