Simpson's Tavern: Historical London chophouse fights for its future

Self-proclaimed as London's "oldest chophouse", Simpson's Tavern is fighting for its future following a surprise closure.

The Grade II-listed tavern has stood on Cornhill for more than 250 years - surviving fires, wars and epidemics.

After getting into rent arrears during the coronavirus pandemic, the venue's locks were changed by the landlord last month, closing the business.

Now the tavern is raising funds to reopen and keep its heritage alive.

Founded in 1757 on Cornhill, Simpson's was where influential people met to trade and do deals over lunch, long before the emergence of the modern skyscrapers of glass and steel that surround it today.

Customers used to be able to look at what meat was on offer, select their preferred cut and watch as it was cooked in front of them on charcoal grills - a service Simpson's provided until 1979.

Now, it sits on the capital's Heritage Walk and is frequently a stop for tourists on guided tours, who are attracted to its rich history and famous former clientele including Charles Dickens.

After the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, like many hospitality businesses Simpson's built up sizeable rent arrears - of more than £300,000 - and eventually the landlord changed the locks and demanded payment in full.

Benjamin Duggan, the general manager of Simpson's, said: "Its been extraordinarily difficult for the team. They've done nothing wrong, but now we're sadly going through redundancy conversations with people who've worked with us for decades.

"I've been lucky enough to be the custodian for many years and I can feel the heritage and the significance for people as they come through."

He added: "The time, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the memories, the claret soaked into the walls, the stories absorbed by the furniture - that can't be replicated anywhere else.

"It lives here in this place, and extinguishing that rubs it from the history sheets in a cruel fashion."

The business has launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay what is owed, and has raised almost £100,000 so far from nearly 2,500 supporters.

"My only hope is that the landlord and their agents will come to some reasonable sense and understand the damage that they are doing to this historic institution," Mr Duggan said.

"But I rely on them coming back, sitting down at the table, discussing a way through and allowing this piece of history to trade and live on."

Simpson's landlord, Bermuda-based Tavor Holdings, said it did make allowances during the lockdowns but since July 2021 it had been trying to come to an agreement to get the money it is owed.

In a statement, the firm said: "The issue here is with the tenant, not with Simpson's. The tenant, Restaurant EC3 Limited, is under the control of its sole director and owner Mr Sarvindra Singh.

"He has consistently failed to settle commitments or engage meaningfully in negotiations over several years. The landlords had no choice but to act."

Both Simpson's and Mr Singh dispute this.

In the meantime, City of London councillor Peter Dunphy has lodged a request to list the venue as an asset of community value - a designation that aims to protect civic buildings, schools, pubs and open spaces that further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community.

This would give Simpson's a way of ensuring the interior of the business is safeguarded in its current form.

"The impact on this particular business is directly related to the Covid lockdowns because it's a dispute over arrears that built up during that period," he said.

A decision on the tavern's application to become an asset of community value is due on 15 December but until then, and without some kind of payment of the money owed, the future of this 265-year-old venue hangs in the balance.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]