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The humble fry-up has been having a main character moment lately. For some reason, at some point in the past couple of years, London’s fashion darlings decided that the full english was the dish to snap for their curated Insta feeds (see Burberry X Norman’s and Socks house meeting). One of the most beloved haunts of these young fashion influencers: the Regency Cafe, in Pimlico.
The caff on the corner of Regency Street has always been a London institution, with many people claiming it to have the best fry up in the city. The joint that opened in 1946 was already famous before the fashion crowd caught on, and has featured in films Layer Cake, Pride, and Rocketman. But thanks to its recent internet fame, nowadays it’s not unusual to see a queue outside the greasy spoon on a Saturday morning.
But now it’s been announced that the iconic caff has been put of for sale for a mega £170,000. A listing by Christie & Co, a property advisor that specialises in pubs and restaurants, says the sale ‘presents a fantastic opportunity to take over a well-established, iconic establishment’.
‘The Regency Cafe has a loyal customer base, including local workers, politicians, and celebrities,’ the listing adds. ‘Due to a popular social media following, the cafe also attracts tourists looking for a traditional cafe experience.’
Naturally, people have been upset about this news, but Westminster Council has promised it won’t be sold to developers and will continue to operate as a cafe.
‘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,’ Councillor David Boothroyd told the Standard.
‘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.’
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