London, March 5,2026 : Britain’s oldest Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy, is facing possible closure after a legal dispute with its landlord, the Crown Estate, prompting campaigners to submit a petition to King Charles III seeking support to save the historic establishment.
Located on Regent Street in London’s West End, Veeraswamy was founded in 1926 by Edward Palmer, a former Anglo-Indian army officer. Over the decades, the restaurant has built a reputation as a pioneer of fine Indian dining in Britain, known for its elegant interiors and traditional hospitality.
The iconic restaurant has hosted diplomats, politicians and visiting dignitaries for nearly a century. It also catered twice at Buckingham Palace during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II—once during the 2009 state visit of the Indian president and again in 2017 to mark 70 years of India’s independence.
The current dispute arose after the Crown Estate announced plans to modernise Victory House, the Grade II-listed building that houses the restaurant. According to planning proposals, modifications to the building’s entrance could make the restaurant inaccessible.
While the Crown Estate says the refurbishment is required to bring the property up to modern standards and ensure full utilisation of the building, it has also offered financial compensation and assistance in relocating to another West End location.
However, the restaurant’s co-owners Ranjit Mathrani and Namita Panjabi allege that the landlord has changed the reasons for eviction and refused to reach a compromise.
Their petition to Buckingham Palace, backed by prominent chefs including Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux and Richard Corrigan, has already gathered more than 20,000 verified signatures.
In response, Buckingham Palace clarified that the issue lies with the Crown Estate and that the monarch does not have authority over commercial leasing decisions.
