Rules Restaurant: Historic Covent Garden Site Donated to National Trust

The owner of Rules has donated the historic restaurant building and its contents to the National Trust in a gift valued at £11m, according to The Guardian. The donation secures the future of the 228-year-old establishment, which is situated at 34-35 Maiden Lane in Covent Garden. This transfer includes the freehold of the property and various historic items held within the site.

The contents being passed to the charity include stained glass, photographs, and menus, alongside visitor books and caricatures, according to the fact sheet. This represents one of the most valuable donations received by the National Trust in recent history, according to The Guardian. The site has been operating at the same location since 1798, according to the National Trust.

The gift follows a change in ownership of the restaurant business itself in 2022. At that time, JP Mayhew sold the business to the current general manager, Ricky McMenemy, according to The Guardian. While the business has a new proprietor, the physical building and its heritage assets are now under the stewardship of the charity.

Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust, described the site as an outstanding piece of living history. She noted that the venue contains corners where politicians, writers, and kings have dined, and where traditions were maintained through periods of upheaval and war, according to the Independent. The building has a long history of survival, having endured both the Blitz and various redevelopment schemes, according to JP Mayhew.

The interior of the restaurant has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century, according to The Guardian. It features gilded antlers, vintage caricatures, and historic playbills. The site has only changed hands three times throughout its entire history, which began under founder Thomas Rule.

JP Mayhew, who has owned the restaurant for 40 years, expressed his gratitude to the charity. He said, "I am grateful to them for believing in this idea and for protecting this building and two centuries worth of stories for people to enjoy forever", according to The Guardian. He also noted that the establishment survived changing tastes and redevelopment plans through hard work and luck, according to The Guardian.

The National Trust will not be responsible for running the restaurant on a daily basis, according to The Guardian. Instead, the charity will function as a landlord for the business. The restaurant business will continue to operate under its current proprietor, Ricky McMenemy, who will become a commercial tenant of the National Trust, according to reports from both The Guardian and the Independent.

McMenemy, who has worked at the restaurant for 35 years, expressed confidence in the new arrangement. He said, "As an independent business, it gives us both the security and peace of mind that our home will be in very good hands and be protected and secure going forward", according to the Independent.

The charity's presence in the daily management of the venue is expected to be minimal. Lucy Porten, a national curator for the charity, stated that "Our involvement, day to day, will probably be very light touch,", according to The Guardian. She clarified that the business is a successful entity in its own right and that there will be no National Trust menu, adding, "It’s not a National Trust menu, this is a very successful business in its own right. There will be no scones. That’s not their business."

The arrangement provides a steady stream of income for the preservation of the site. According to the Independent, the National Trust will receive the annual rent paid by the restaurant business to fund conservation work. This ensures that the historic fabric of the Covent Garden building can be maintained long-term.

The National Trust already has experience managing historic hospitality sites. The charity currently cares for 39 historic pubs, according to both The Guardian and the Independent. This new acquisition adds a significant landmark to their existing portfolio of country house hotels and historic buildings.

The preservation of the site has been a point of contention in the past. In 1971, the poet John Betjeman famously defended the restaurant against proposals from the Greater London Council to convert the Strand into a dual carriageway. This historical protection helped ensure the building remained intact for the current donation.

While the building is now part of a major heritage charity, the dining experience will remain unchanged for customers. Lucy Porten, a national curator for the charity, confirmed that there will be no preferential access or special pricing offered to National Trust members, according to the fact sheet.

The charity is looking into ways to make the history of the site more accessible to the public. According to The Guardian, the National Trust is currently exploring options to offer virtual visits to the historic space.

The restaurant has a famous list of past visitors, including figures such as Charles Dickens, Graham Greene, and Thackeray. Other notable names associated with the venue include David Bowie, Madonna, Harrison Ford, and actors such as Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier, and Ava Gardner, according to the fact sheet.

• The Guardian: Rules, London’s oldest restaurant, donated to National Trust
• The Independent: £11m site of London’s oldest restaurant given to the National Trust