The oldest Indian restaurant in Britain, Veeraswamy, at no. 99 Regent Street, has an oddly poky little entrance on Swallow Street. It’s only when you get to the upper floors that you see the colourful Indian interiors and are enveloped by the courteous service. As the Michelin Guide (it has a star) observed, “It may have opened in 1926 but this celebrated Indian restaurant just keeps getting better and better!”
Not for long at this address though. Thanks to the Crown Estate, the landlord, the restaurant may serve its last lamb rogan josh on its historic site in June. The Estate wants that measly entrance area to provide better access for its expanded offices on the first floor and has informed the owners, Ranjit Mathrani and Namita Panjabi, that the coveted 11 square metres will be taken over and no, it isn’t up for a compromise about alternative access next door. Now, I ask you, dear reader, given that you and I pretty well own the Crown Estate (for we are stakeholders in this enterprise), which would you rather have? An historic Indian restaurant serving delicious Mughal/Kashmir food or easier access for the Crown Estate for its ever expanding offices for its extensive admin team? I know; tough one.
