Veeraswamy, a century-old Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in London, may shut its doors — all because of a small patch of space.

Opened in 1926, Veeraswamy has been serving Indian cuisine near Piccadilly Circus for nearly 100 years. Over the decades, it has welcomed a long list of famous guests including Princess Anne, Lord David Cameron, and King Abdullah of Jordan.

But now, its future is uncertain due to a dispute with the Crown Estate — the royal property group that owns the building where the restaurant operates.

The restaurant’s lease at Victory House is due to end in June, and the Crown Estate has told the owners it won’t be renewed.

Restaurant chairman Ranjit Mathrani (81), says the decision came out of nowhere, especially since they were previously asked if they’d like to expand into more space in the same building.

“It came completely out of the blue,” Mathrani said.

Office renovation sparks conflict

The Crown Estate says the building needs a full upgrade, including improvements to the office entrance. The upper floors have been empty since a flood last year, and the renovation would involve knocking through Veeraswamy’s entrance to gain an extra 11 square metres of space.

Since the restaurant can’t operate without its own entrance, the area will instead be turned into new office space — something in high demand in the West End since the pandemic.

Mathrani believes the Crown Estate didn’t make a real effort to find alternatives. He also says they won’t let the restaurant keep running while a new location is found, which could lead to job losses and upset loyal customers.

“They don’t care a bugger for history,” he told The Times.

“Had they wanted to, they could’ve easily …put the [office] reception on the first floor. If they’d have asked us to match the [office] rent, I would have.”

Legal battle underway

Now, Veeraswamy’s owners are taking legal steps to fight for more time. Mathrani says they’re willing to move, but need at least two years to find and prepare a new space.

“We’re open to moving, because we accept the inevitability that, sooner or later, they will be able to turf us out,” he explained.

“Ideally, if they’re being reasonable people, we need two years to find a site [and fit it out], but that is not currently something they’re willing to do.”

Crown Estate’s stand

A spokesperson for the Crown Estate said the decision was due to necessary improvements to the building.

“This includes a major upgrade to the offices and improving the entrance to make it more accessible,” they said.

“Due to the limited options available in this listed building, we need to remove the entrance to the restaurant, which means we will not be able to offer Veeraswamy an extension when their lease expires.”