The National Trust has taken ownership of 34-35 Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, home of Rules, London's oldest surviving restaurant, following an £11million donation from the building's owner of 40 years, Jean-Pierre Mayhew. The freehold of the building is estimated to be worth £11million.
Rules began life as an oyster house when it was opened by Thomas Rule in 1798 and quickly became a gathering place for 19th and 20th-century luminaries. Over its 228 years, it has seen the reign of ten monarchs and the service of more than 40 prime ministers, many of whom have eaten in its historic dining room. The building survived the Blitz and, more recently, local government plans to demolish it.
Historic building and collection secured for the nation
The gift to the conservation charity will protect the building and its historic collection for new generations. Ongoing charitable income that comes as part of the gift will go towards vital conservation work each year. The building at 34-35 Maiden Lane is a rare example of living heritage where both the historic structure and its original use remain intact, with more than two centuries of continuous restaurant operation.
Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, said: “This place is an outstanding piece of living history, with its corners where kings dined and writers and politicians plotted, and the traditions it kept alive through wars and upheaval. It has defied the odds to be standing here today, doors still open and treacle sponge still on the menu.
“Mr Mayhew's extraordinary generosity, and the care he has poured into Rules over many decades, mean this beloved place has a future measured not in years but generations. His gift ensures that one of London's great living institutions will remain part of the city's cultural life, with all its stories, traditions and character intact.”
Famous diners and cultural legacy
The restaurant's roll-call of famous diners includes King Edward VII, Laurence Olivier, William Makepeace Thackeray, Charles Dickens, Charlie Chaplin, Ava Gardner, Dame Vera Lynn and Liza Minnelli. More recently, Harrison Ford, Madonna and David Bowie all dined there. Rooms are named after poet laureate John Betjeman, who defended the restaurant when Maiden Lane was at risk of redevelopment, and writer Graham Greene, who ate there every year on his birthday and featured it in his novel The End of the Affair.
Rules is the last survivor of a group of renowned London restaurants, which included the Trocadero Restaurant, the Mirabelle and Le Gavroche. Since the 19th century, it has maintained the tradition of English 'country house' cuisine, surviving the privations of the Second World War and rationing.
Future of the restaurant and the Trust's role
The restaurant business is owned by Ricky McMenemy, who has worked there for 35 years, and will now become a commercial tenant of the National Trust. The annual rent will provide income for the charity. The gift also includes historic collection items such as visitor books, menus, caricatures, photographs, stained glass and signs.
J-P Mayhew said: “There are few restaurants in the world that have endured the test of time like Rules. With many years of hard work, and some extraordinary strokes of luck, it has survived everything from redevelopment plans and changing tastes to the Blitz.
“When John Betjeman defended Rules from the GLC's plans to turn the Strand into a dual carriageway in 1971, he spoke not only of the paintings, sculptures, stained glass and red plush seats, but of its 'invisible atmosphere'. My gift to the National Trust is in answer to that appeal. The Trust will protect this place in a way that no one else could, safeguarding its bricks and mortar, its famous interior and its invisible atmosphere too. I am grateful to them for believing in this idea and for protecting this building and two centuries worth of stories for people to enjoy forever.”
Mr McMenemy, Proprietor of Rules Restaurant, added: “We are delighted the National Trust has taken ownership of 34-35 Maiden Lane, home to Rules Restaurant for over two centuries. As an independent business, it gives us both the security and peace of mind that our home will be in very good hands and be protected and secure going forward. Having already established a very amicable working relationship with the Trust, we look forward to another two centuries in this, our home.”
The Trust cares for 39 historic pubs, including the George Inn in Southwark and the Crown Bar in Belfast. 34-35 Maiden Lane will be the first building in the Trust's care to house an historic restaurant that is still in operation. The move comes at a time when many iconic central London buildings are at risk from redevelopment pressures and economic challenges.
