King Urged to Rescue UK's Legendary Indian Curry Spot from Closure

Supporters of Veeraswamy, the oldest Indian restaurant in the United Kingdom, gathered outside Buckingham Palace to ask King Charles for help. They are worried because the restaurant might have to close after almost 100 years. Veeraswamy opened in March 1926 and has always been at Victory House on Regent Street in London. It even stayed open during the difficult times of the Second World War. Now, the Crown Estate, which owns the building, has decided not to renew the restaurant’s lease. This means Veeraswamy could lose its home. The owners, staff, and many loyal customers are upset and want to save the restaurant. They made colorful signs with messages like 'keep calm and curry on' and 'many customers are heartbroken. ' They also started a petition, which now has more than 20,000 signatures, including those of famous chefs like Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux, and Richard Corrigan.

Ranjit Mathrani, one of the co-owners, said he was asking the King to help save Veeraswamy from closing. He believes that not renewing the lease is a short-sighted decision. He described the Crown Estate as being polite but not willing to listen. Mathrani wants the King to encourage the Crown Estate to have a real conversation with them. His wife, Namita Panjabi, who also owns the restaurant, said Veeraswamy has cooked for the royal family at Buckingham Palace twice. The first time was in 2009 when the president of India visited, and the second time was in 2017 for India’s 70th year of independence. She finds it surprising that the restaurant is being asked to close after all these years and after serving the royal family. Veeraswamy is one of the oldest tenants on Regent Street, along with Hamleys and Liberty.

Regular customers and staff have also shared their feelings. Sinan Artar, who has been eating at Veeraswamy for 25 years, said the restaurant is a precious institution and should not be turned into an office. He feels at home every time he visits. Sonia Cannavo, who has worked at Veeraswamy for 21 years, said she is very sad about the news and hopes the Crown Estate will let them stay. The restaurant even received a Michelin star in 2016. The Crown Estate says they need to modernize the building and bring it up to new standards. They offered to help Veeraswamy find a new location and give them financial support. However, the owners want to stay in their historic home. The Crown Estate says they have a responsibility to manage their property for the benefit of the country and to follow the law. They say it was not an easy decision to ask Veeraswamy to leave, but they believe it is necessary for the future of the building and the public.