People in UK love curry! Much of its credit goes to Veeraswamy, a 100-year-old Indian restaurants, who has served patrons like Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth ll, Charlie Chaplin among thers. However, its future is now uncertain as its London premises is at risk.
Veeraswamy, which first opened its doors in 1926, is taking legal action against the Crown Estate after its £205,000-a-year lease was not renewed. The Michelin-starred restaurant, which has operated from Victory House for almost 100 years, says it has exhausted every possible option to avoid eviction before a five-day court hearing beginning on 29 June.
The dispute centres on the Crown Estate’s plans to refurbish Victory House, where offices on the upper floors have remained vacant since flooding damaged the building’s power supply in 2023. The redevelopment includes creating a larger office reception by removing the wall separating the office entrance from the restaurant, a move the Estate says makes renewing the lease impossible.
But Veeraswamy’s owners insist the work can be carried out without forcing the restaurant to leave. They have proposed sharing the enlarged entrance with office tenants and even offered to match the higher rent the Crown Estate expects to receive after the refurbishment. Both proposals were rejected.
Co-owner Ranjit Mathrani said every effort had been made to reach an agreement.
“We have really done all we can to answer all their concerns,” he said, adding that all negotiations had failed because the Crown Estate was “hell-bent” on pursuing the court case.
Mr Mathrani also argued that there was no technical reason why the restaurant could not continue operating during the refurbishment. “It is well within the competence of many reputable contractors to deliver the programme of works in a manner which could accommodate the restaurant business,” he said.
The Crown Estate said the decision had not been taken lightly and that it had explored alternative proposals before concluding that none met its responsibilities as the steward of the Grade II-listed building. A spokesperson said the Estate had also offered financial compensation and assistance in finding another property within its portfolio so the restaurant could remain in London’s West End.
The legal battle has attracted widespread support from the hospitality industry and the public, with more than 20,000 people signing a petition calling for the restaurant to remain at its historic home. Owners estimate relocating the business would cost around £5 million, far exceeding the compensation on offer.
The outcome of the court case could determine whether one of Britain’s best-known Indian restaurants continues serving diners from Regent Street or is forced to leave the building it has called home for almost a century.
