Simpson’s Tavern, which counts famous diners including Charles Dickens among its former customers, could close for good without help
Self-proclaimed “the oldest pub” in London, Simpson’s Tavern is fighting for its future after its sudden closure.
The Grade II listed tavern has stood on Cornhill for over 250 years – surviving fires, wars and epidemics.
After falling behind on rent during the coronavirus pandemic, the landlord changed the locks on the property last month, shutting down the business.
Now the pub is raising funds to reopen and preserve its heritage.
Founded in 1757 on Cornhill, Simpson’s was a place where influential people met to trade and do business over lunch, long before the modern glass and steel skyscrapers that surround it today.
Image credit: Sam Mellish/Getty Images
Simpson’s has a proud history
Customers used to be able to look at what meat was on offer, select the cut they wanted and watch it being grilled in front of them on a charcoal grill – a service Simpson’s provided until 1979.
It now sits on the capital’s Heritage Walk and is a frequent stop for tourists on guided tours, attracted by its rich history and famous former clientele, including Charles Dickens.
After the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, like many hospitality businesses, Simpson racked up hefty rent arrears – more than £300,000 – and eventually the landlord changed the locks and demanded payment in full.
Benjamin Duggan, general manager of Simpson’s, said: “It has been extremely difficult for the team. They have done nothing wrong, but unfortunately we are now going through redundancy talks with people who have worked with us for decades.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be a custodian for many years and I can feel the legacy and significance to people as they go 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 – it cannot be replicated anywhere else.
“It lives here in this place and by extinguishing it in a cruel way it is erased from the pages of history.”
Benjamin Duggan, the pub’s general manager, said he hoped bosses would “see some common sense” and find a solution to keep it going
The company launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay what it owes and has so far raised almost £100,000 from nearly 2,500 supporters.
“My only hope is that the landlord and their agents come to their senses and understand the damage they are doing to this historic institution,” Duggan said.
“But I’m counting on them to come back, sit down at the table, talk about the passage and allow this piece of history to trade and live.”
Simpson’s landlord, Bermuda-based Tavor Holdings, said it had been making payments during the quarantine but had been trying to reach an agreement since July 2021 to receive the money owed.
In a statement, the firm said: “The problem here is with the tenant, not the Simpsons. The lessee, Restaurant EC3 Limited, is controlled by its sole director and owner Mr. Sarvindra Singh.
“He has consistently failed to meet obligations or engage meaningfully in negotiations over several years. Landlords have had no choice but to act.”
Both Simpson’s and Mr Singh dispute this.
City of London councilor Peter Dunphy has applied for the site to be listed as an asset of community value in a bid to save it
Meanwhile, City of London councilor Peter Dunphy has applied for the site to be listed as an asset of community value – a designation which aims to protect civic buildings, schools, pubs and open spaces that contribute to the social welfare or social interests of the local community.
This would give Simpson a way to ensure that the inside of the business is protected in its current form.
“The impact on this particular business is directly related to the Covid blockade because it is a dispute over arrears that accumulated during that period,” he said.
A decision on the pub’s request to become a community asset is due on December 15, but until then, and without some sort of payment of the money owed, the future of the 265-year-old bar hangs in the balance.
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