The landmark Regency Café in Westminster has been put up for sale at £170,000 – but the landlord, Westminster Council, says its future is safe.

Hailed as a “post-War gem” in the new 2025 Harden’s guide, the greasy-spoon has barely changed since it was opened in 1946 – and is “still as great as it ever was“, say its legion of fans.

Following the decision of current owners Antonio Perotti and Gino Schiavetta to sell up, Westminster councillor David Boothroyd issued an assurance it would not be sold for development. He said: “The Regency Café has been a well loved institution by the local community for over 40 years, and has become an iconic location to visit having been featured in various TV programmes and films such as Layer Cake. To be clear, we won’t allow the site to be developed into something different as we want to preserve the spirit and heritage this iconic café brings, which aligns with the current owners wishes. 

“As the freeholder and landlord of the Regency Café, we have agreed that whoever takes on this site next needs to carry on the tradition of this being a local restaurant or café as the lease is protected as such. While improvements may need to be made by whoever takes on this site, such as the installation of toilets on the premises, we don’t want to see this café and its history disappear – we want it to continue to be an iconic cornerstone for local residents and visitors to enjoy for years to come.”