King Charles is being petitioned to stop UK’s oldest surviving Indian restaurant from being closed, according to a BBC report.
Veeraswamy has been located at Victory House on Regent Street ever since it was founded in March 1926. The restaurant received a Michelin star in 2016.
Restaurant co-owner Ranjit Mathrani said he was asking the King to help save Veeraswamy “from extinction”, and said not renewing the lease was “short-sighted”.
The Crown Estate has said removing the restaurant from its current premises is “not a decision we’ve taken lightly”. In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the decision was a matter for the Crown Estate.
The Crown Estate is an independent property company, whose profits go to the Treasury.
The petition has more than 20,000 signatures, including celebrity chefs including Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux and Richard Corrigan. The petition calls on the King to “protect a historic institution” and save a “symbol of Indo-British cultural connections”.
Mr Mathrani said “We would like the King to persuade the Crown (Estate) to talk to us, be reasonable and have a discussion.” His wife, and restaurant co-owner, Namita Panjabi, said: “Veeraswamy have catered twice at Buckingham Palace for the late queen.
Veeraswamy’s dispute with the Crown Estate started after the landlord announced plans to modernise the Grade II-listed building.
Planning documents show changes to the current entrance which would make the restaurant inaccessible.
A spokesperson for The Crown Estate said said the business was offered help to find new West End premises plus financial compensation.
