Britain's oldest Indian restaurant is at risk of being forced to shut down after nearly a century of serving acclaimed curries following a row with its landlord.
Veeraswamy, a Michelin-starred establishment just steps from Piccadilly Circus, might be forced to shut its doors as its lease expires next summer.
The restaurant has been operating since 1926 but now is facing eviction after the Crown Estate refused to renew its lease.
The prestigious restaurant has played host to a range of high-profile guests over the decades, including Princess Anne, Lord Cameron and King Abdullah of Jordan.
The restaurant was first opened in 1926
GETTY
The dispute arose from the Crown Estate's plans to upgrade the office entrance for the upper floors of Victory House, where Veeraswamy is located.
To carry out the work, the property managers claim they need the restaurant's entrance area, which would give them an extra 11 square metres of space.
Without its own entrance, the restaurant cannot continue to operate in its current location.
The space would be converted into new offices as part of renovation works.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Veeraswamy has built a reputation for excellence, earning a coveted Michelin star for its Indian cuisine, with one customer describing it as "the best restaurant meal I have ever tasted".
Restaurant boss Ranjit Mathrani, 81, says he was blindsided by the decision, which came "out of the blue".
"They don't care a b****r for history," he told The Times.
"Had they wanted to, they could've easily put the [office] reception on the first floor."
Mathrani has now locked horns with the Crown Estate following his bid to extend the lease - taking them to court.
He has said that he is open to relocating the restaurant but requires adequate time to find and prepare a new site.
Image of one of the Veeraswamy chefs from 1973 in the same restaurant
GETTY
Most Read
"Ideally, if they're being reasonable people, we need two years to find a site [and fit it out]," he explained.
A spokesperson for the Crown Estate 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."
