UK’s oldest Indian restaurant fears being ‘airbrushed out of historical past’ because it fights closure
The owner of the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant fears being “airbrushed out of history” if the Crown Estate successfully kicks them out of their original home. The Veeraswamy, which is in a legal battle with its landlord the Crown Estate, had its court showdown postponed this week.
Ranjit Mathrani, 83, chairman of MW Eat which owns the 100-year-old curry house, said he’s shed “blood, sweat and tears” over it. The site faces being turned into offices.
Mr Mathrani told the Daily Star: “It’s a legendary institution where people come from all around the world to it and it represents the best of the combination of British Britain and India intertwined.
“It is a gastronomic jewel and therefore it will be a tragedy of the highest order for something like this to be airbrushed out of history.” Mr Mathrani started MW Eat back in 1989 with his wife Namita Mathrani running it also with his sister in-law Camellia Panjabi.
He has been running the food spot, located on central London’s Regent Street, since 1996. The co–owner said: “Well, this has been evolved and built up out of the passion and determination and ambition of my wife, my sister-in-law, and myself.
“We put a lot into it at all levels but we can’t do a place like this without actually going the extra mile to do what you can. Therefore it involves emotion, it involves passion, blood, sweat, and tears.”
“And therefore, it means an enormous amount to us and it will be a tragedy on a personal level and emotional level if we were to face expulsion.”
The restaurant was due to clash with the Crown Estate earlier this week in court. But a judge said the court battle, scheduled for five days, has been delayed due to “administrative reasons”.
Mr Mathrani said the company would be given new dates to appear in court “because of the prior commitments of the legal team and expert witnesses on both sides, it is unlikely to be before late autumn this year”.
The Crown Estate has said it has offered to help find it a new home. A spokesman for The Crown Estate said: “We need to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of Victory House to both bring it up to modern standards, and into full use.
“We understand how disappointing this is for MW Eat and have offered help to find new premises on our portfolio so that the restaurant can stay in the West End, as well as financial compensation.”
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