Britain’s Oldest Curry House risks Closure over Crown Estate Row

Britain’s oldest curry house is at risk of closing after a row with the Crown Estate.

Piccadilly-based Veeraswamy has operated from Victory House since 1926.

However, it might be forced to shut its doors as its lease expires next summer.

The Crown Estate informed the restaurant’s parent company MW Eat that it will not renew its lease.

At the heart of the disagreement is a proposal to reclaim 11 square metres of space for a refurbished ground-floor reception area.

The Crown Estate says this is part of a “comprehensive refurbishment” of Victory House, which includes upgrades to the offices above and improved accessibility to the building.

However, without its own entrance, Veeraswamy cannot continue to trade.

Ranjit Mathrani, co-owner of MW Eat, said the decision “came out of the blue”, especially as the estate had previously offered him more space in the building.

He said: “I think they’ve come to the view that it’s too tiresome having a restaurant there, they want it to be all offices.”

Mr Mathrani claims the loss of Veeraswamy would mean more than the closure of a restaurant, it could result in redundancies and the end of what he describes as a cultural institution.

He said: “They don’t care a bugger for history.

“Had they wanted to, they could’ve easily… put the [office] reception on the first floor. If they’d have asked us to match the [office] rent, I would have.”

The Crown Estate confirmed its plans in a statement.

A spokesperson said: “We need to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of Victory House.

“This includes a major upgrade to the offices and improving the entrance to make it more accessible.”

“Due to the limited options available in this listed building, we need to remove the entrance to the restaurant, which means we will not be able to offer Veeraswamy an extension when their lease expires.”

Mr Mathrani said the restaurant has not yet found an alternative site.

He has asked the estate to provide a new entrance elsewhere but claims that request was rejected.

If an agreement cannot be reached, the result could be the closure of a restaurant that has served royalty, diplomats and dignitaries for nearly a century.

Mr Mathrani warned: “It could effectively destroy a major London institution.”