UK's oldest surviving Indian restaurant is at risk of closure after 99 years of service. The decision taken by the estate owning the building, had prompted loyal Brits to petition King Charles with 18,000 signatures in a bid to 'protect a historic institution'.
Veeraswamy was founded in 1926, and since then it has resided on London's Regent Street. However, the restaurant faces a gloomy cloud in getting its lease renewed due to a dispute with its landlord, the Crown Estate.
The fight for the sustenance of history
Since King Charles has been promoting links between communities, the eatery's supporters have called for him to back and protect it as it is "a living piece of shared cultural history".
Crown Estate is an independent property company whose profits go to the Treasury. As per the Estate, the building needs a refurbishment that's not compatible with the restaurant remaining intact. "This is not a decision we've taken lightly," said their spokesman on not renewing the lease and removing the restaurant.
The new plans include turning the restaurant space into office accommodation and changing the current entrance in a way that would make the restaurant inaccessible. A spokesman revealed that the estate has offered to help the eatery find other premises in the West End along with financial compensation.
Thus, its future is being fought for with more than 18,000 signatures. The petition asks King Charles III to back the campaign and save a "symbol of Indo-British cultural connections", as the restaurant approaches its 100th birthday in March. It is expected to be brought to the gates of Buckingham Palace by supporters and chefs. A centenary dinner in March is set to be attended by celebrities and public figures in another show of support.
Celebrity chefs including Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux and Richard Corrigan have also supported a review on the closure of the Michelin-starred restaurant. "Most European cities cherish their legendary restaurants. Why in the name of God would we want to lose Veeraswamy?" said Corrigan. Lucy Haine, chair of the Soho Society, also added that closing the "iconic London restaurant" would be a "major loss to London's history and culinary heritage."
Veeraswamy: A London icon
When it opened, Veeraswamy was a pioneer in Indian food. It appeared to Anglo-Indians in London who missed the food they had enjoyed in India. The restaurant has been an integral part of London for years, even having served food through the wartime Blitz. It is co-owned by Ranjit Mathrani who said to the BBC that generals, civil servants and businesspeople with links to India came through the doors first.
Indian leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were among its esteemed customers along with Charlie Chaplin, Marlon Brando and Sir Winston Churchill, who also visited. The restaurant has been to the Buckingham Palace before, having catered to Indian visitors in 2008 and 2017.
It also claims to be the birthplace of one of the most iconic British combinations, curry and beer. Prince Axel of Denmark liked to drink Carlsberg while at the restaurant in the 1920s, beginning the culinary combo.
