Fans have called on King Charles to intervene and help save an iconic London location from closing its doors.
Veeraswamy, a Michelin-starred restaurant founded in 1926, remains at its original Regent Street location but faces closure after a dispute with the Crown Estate led to its lease not being renewed.
The King has been an advocate for creating links between communities, and campaigners are calling for the monarch to protect the historical restaurant as “a living piece of shared cultural history”.
The Crown Estate states that the building requires refurbishment that is incompatible with the restaurant continuing to operate there.
Campaigners have petitooned King Charles to step in and save the iconic Veeraswamy restaurant
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“This is not a decision we’ve taken lightly,” said a Crown Estate spokesman about not renewing the lease and removing the restaurant from its current premises.
The Crown Estate operates as an independent property company whose profits go directly to the Treasury.
The petition has reached over 18,000 signatures and famous chefs, such as Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux and Richard Corrigan have added their support to the calls to reevaluate the closing of the restaurant.
Mr Corrigan said: “Most European cities cherish their legendary restaurants. Why in the name of God would we want to lose Veeraswamy?”
The petition calls on Charles to back the campaign to “protect a historic institution” and save a “symbol of Indo-British culture”.
The restaurant will reach its 100th anniversary this year, and at a centenary dinner in March, support is expected to be received by celebrities and public figures looking to change the future of the iconic restaurant.
The Veeraswamy restaurant celebrates it’s 100th anniversary in March
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The venue has attracted lots of famous names over it’s 99 year history, with stars such as Charlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando visiting, to political figures including Sir Winston Churchill.
More recently, the Princess Royal, David Cameron, and Andrew Lloyd Webber have all been visitors to the staple venue on Regent’s Street.
Veeraswamy received a Michelin star in 2016, on its 90th anniversary.
Lucy Haine, the chair of the Soho Society, which has been campaigning to protect the character of the area, is supporting “the fight to keep this iconic London restaurant open and trading for future generations”.
She added it would be a “major loss to London’s history and culinary heritage,” with the society wanting the restaurant to be recognised as an “asset of community value.”
A Crown Estate spokesman told the BBC it understands the disappointment and it has offered to help to find other premises in the West End along with financial compensation.
The Veeraswamy restaurant has been a staple of the area
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“We need to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment of Victory House to both bring it up to modern standards, and into full use.”
The spokesman adds that so far, there are no alternatives that meet “our responsibilities to manage public money”.
Buckingham Palace has said that the matter is one for the Crown Estate.