UK’s oldest Indian restaurant under threat in row with Crown Estate
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The UK’s oldest Indian restaurant is under threat
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- Veeraswamy, the UK's oldest Indian restaurant, faces eviction from its Regent Street location after 99 years due to a lease dispute with the Crown Estate.
- The Crown Estate plans to renovate the building, requiring the removal of the restaurant's entrance, and intends to convert the space into offices.
- Veeraswamy's owner, Ranjit Mathrani, criticizes the decision, citing the restaurant's historical and cultural significance, and is taking the Crown Estate to court to delay the eviction.
- The restaurant has served numerous dignitaries and royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II, and claims to be the only outside caterer invited to Buckingham Palace.
- While the Crown Estate has offered to assist in finding a new location, Mathrani expresses concern about the potential closure and job losses for the restaurant's 50 staff members.