Landlord responds after Simpson’s Tavern launches campaign to take locks off doors

One of London’s oldest restaurants has been forced to close after the landlord locked the doors in a dispute over rent. 

The historic Simpson’s Tavern, a chophouse not far from the Royal Exchange in the City of London, has been a watering hole and lunch spot since 1757, but shut in October. 

The manager, Benjamin Duggan, has since launched a crowdfunding campaign to try to raise funds to reopen. 

He claimed the landlord, Tavor Holdings Limited, which is incorporated in Bermuda, has ‘refused to engage’. 

Duggan wrote on the pub’s crowdfunding page: ‘Our locks have been changed, our lights turned out. 

‘The landlord refuses to engage. [We are] a centuries-old venue which has played host for generations.

‘It would be a tragedy to see this unique part of the City of London and indeed this nation’s history turn off the lights forever.’ 

Duggan said rent arrears came about as a result of the pandemic, and indicated that without support the popular chophouse, apparently once popular with Charles Dickens and which serves no nonsense, traditional British fare to City diners, will close for good.

CODE received a statement from Hartnell Taylor Cook Limited, which is representing Tavor Holdings. 

The property agency told us: ‘We acted on behalf of the landlord to try and reach an agreement with the tenant over the summer, who up until September this year had not paid any rent since January 2020. 

‘The tenant was given every opportunity to rectify the position but unfortunately, both parties were unable to come to a resolution and the landlord had no other option other than to take action for the recovery of the outstanding rent and accrued service charge arrears’. 

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