Veeraswamy restaurant marks 100 years amid closure threat

Veeraswamy, one of the world’s oldest Indian restaurants, on Monday marks 100 years since it first opened its doors at Victory House on London’s Regent Street in March 1926, even as its battle to hold on to the iconic location in the city continues.

The Michelin-starred diner, with a rich history of guests including Mahatma Gandhi and Charlie Chaplin, is celebrating the centenary with a celebratory re-creation of some of the dishes on the menu a century ago – served by staff in the classic uniform of the time. However, the “Save Veeraswamy” campaign seeking the restaurant’s lease renewal at Victory House from its landlord, the Crown Estate, casts a long shadow over the celebrations. “In an increasingly fractious and divided world, Veeraswamy survives as a beacon of civilisation, a place where people from all countries and all walks of life can meet and dine together in a spirit of mutual understanding and enjoyment, just as its founder envisaged a century ago,” they said.