Britain's oldest curry house, the Veeraswamy, is working on a plan to remain open as its royal landlord, the Crown Estate, refurbishes the site, amid fears it could be closed forever. The 100-year-old Indian restaurant, located in Victory House on Regent Street, London, has been fighting for its survival after the Crown Estate refused to renew its lease.
A legal showdown between the UK's oldest Michelin-star Indian restaurant and the Crown Estate was put on ice this week after a judge delayed the court hearing due to administrative reasons. Both sides are now working to resolve the dispute.
Dispute over refurbishment plans
The row began earlier this year when the Crown Estate announced plans to modernise the Grade II-listed Victory House. Planning documents revealed that changes to the current entrance would make the restaurant inaccessible. The Crown Estate cited a 2023 flood in the building's basement as the reason for the comprehensive refurbishment needed.
Ranjit Mathrani, chairman of MW Eat, Veeraswamy's owner, said he is now working with the Crown Estate to keep the restaurant open during the works. He told the Daily Star: "We will make every effort to see if the dispute can be settled. In addition to meet a claimed prime concern of The Crown Estate (TCE), we have offered them that we would assume the responsibility of the planned refurbishment works being undertaken with Veeraswamy in situ. We have offered in principle to undertake the proposed refurbishment works to the office areas as the development manager using these specifications, timetable and proposed costs in such a way as to preserve the continuing presence of Veeraswamy. This would be on appropriate terms and with appropriate protections in place for TCE. However, TCE have turned down this offer."
Legal battle delayed
The Crown Estate and the restaurant were set to meet at London County Court earlier this week, but a judge delayed the five-day court feud due to administrative reasons. Mr Mathrani said new dates would be given, but due to prior commitments of legal teams and expert witnesses, it is unlikely to be before late autumn this year.
The Veeraswamy's £205,000-a-year lease expired last summer after the Crown Estate refused to renew it. Despite the refusal, the eatery has stayed open due to ongoing legal action. The Crown Estate's plans would convert the restaurant's space into offices.
Rich history and famous guests
The Veeraswamy has a rich history, serving a star-studded list of guests including wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, and actor Marlon Brando. The restaurant even served meals to Londoners during the Blitz in World War II as bombs dropped on the city.
A spokesman for the Crown Estate said: "We need to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of Victory House to both bring it up to modern standards, and into full use. We understand how disappointing this is for MW Eat and have offered help to find new premises on our portfolio so that the restaurant can stay in the West End, as well as financial compensation."
