PLANS to convert Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant into offices have sparked outrage in the hospitality community.
Veerasway is a Michelin-starred restaurant that has been open in Victory House on London’s Regent Street since 1926.
Despite keeping customers happy for 99 years the restaurant is being threatened with closure.
The building’s owners, the Crown Estate, announced plans to convert the building into offices.
Some of the UK’s best chefs have now rallied together to save Veeraswamy, currently owned by MW Eat.
Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux Jr and Michael Caines are among a number of high profile professionals calling on the Crown Estate to engage in ‘meaningful dialogue’ and ‘act responsibly’ to save the restaurant.
They said the restaurant’s “rightful home” is in Victory House and that converting the establishment into offices would be “sacrilege, representing a profound loss, both for London’s restaurant scene and for our tourism economy”.
While the Crown Estate own a large majority of Regent Street and is therefore property of the King, Veeraswamy is one of the oldest occupants on the road.
The only businesses that beat their occupancy record are Hamleys, opened in 1881 and Cafe Royal, opened in 1865.
Although the restaurant is not strictly the King’s private property and he has no involvement in the management or decision making about its assets.
The estate pas its profits to the Treasury and then a percentage of that goes towards the royal family through a sovereign grant.
Restaurateur and chairman of MW Eats Ranjit Mathrani, 81, said he was blindsided by the decision, as the previous year he had been asked if he wanted to expand into more space in the building.
In an open letter to written to The Times, the chefs wrote: “As the Crown knows, heritage cannot be relocated, nor can history be replaced.
“Keeping Veeraswamy alive is an act of responsibility by the Crown worthy of London’s reputation as one of the world’s great dining and tourist cities.”
Veeraswamy’s lease is set to expire next June, in its centenary year.
It plans to continue serving on the site until a hearing takes place hopefully next spring or early summer.
If the court rules in favour of the restaurant it could extend its lease for a further 14 years, because it is a protected tenancy meaning long-term tenants have enhanced rights.
The Crown Estate told The Daily Mail: “We need to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment to ensure the building meets modern standards and is brought back into full use. We understand how challenging this is for MW Eat.
“Our focus remains on working with all parties and has included offering to help find new premises on our portfolio so that they can continue to be in the West End, as well as financial compensation.”
