UK's oldest Indian restaurant owner accuses Crown Estate of not valuing curry traditions
The owner of Veeraswamy, Britain's oldest Indian restaurant, is suing the Crown Estate over a lease dispute that threatens the eatery's historic London location. The owner alleges that the Crown Estate's refusal to renew the lease reflects a bias against Indian culinary traditions compared to European ones.
Why it matters
The case highlights tensions regarding cultural heritage preservation and potential institutional bias in commercial property management in the UK.
LONDON: The founder of Britain’s oldest surviving Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy, has accused the Crown Estate of trying to project European cuisine as “superior” to India’s gastronomic traditions by seeking to evict the Michelin-starred eatery from its landmark Regent Street address in London.Ranjit Mathrani of MW Eat, which owns the restaurant that once counted Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi among its patrons, is taking the Crown Estate to court on Nov 4 for refusing to extend Veeraswamy’s lease.The Crown Estate says it needs to refurbish Victory House as the structure is in a poor condition.“Would they have handled this the same way had it been a notable French or European restaurant?
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