Rules, which has operated in Covent Garden for 228 years, will continue trading under its current management after its historic building and interior were donated to the heritage charity in an £11 million gift.
Rules, widely regarded as London’s oldest restaurant, has been donated to the National Trust, securing the future of its historic premises in the capital’s Covent Garden district.
Founded by Thomas Rule in 1798, the restaurant has survived more than two centuries of political change, wartime destruction and shifting dining trends. Its four-storey building on Maiden Lane retains much of its traditional interior, including historic theatre memorabilia, caricatures and decorative features.
The restaurant has attracted generations of prominent customers, including writers Charles Dickens and William Makepeace Thackeray, as well as actors Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier and Ava Gardner.
JP Mayhew, who acquired Rules in 1984, said the donation would help preserve both the building and its distinctive atmosphere for future generations.
Restaurant to retain its identity
The £11 million gift is among the most valuable recent donations to the National Trust and marks the charity’s first move into restaurant premises, although it already manages historic pubs and country house hotels.
The donation covers the listed building and its contents, rather than the restaurant business itself. Mayhew sold the business in 2022 to Ricky McMenemy, Rules’ longtime general manager, who will continue operating the restaurant as a commercial tenant.
The National Trust will focus on maintaining the historic property while allowing the business to adapt to changing customer needs. Lucy Porten, a national curator at the charity, said Rules would continue to operate as a restaurant, with no plans to impose the organisation’s familiar café-style offering.
The menu is also expected to remain largely unchanged, preserving its traditional emphasis on meat and game dishes. The National Trust will not offer members preferential access or discounted prices, as the restaurant must remain commercially viable.
Preserving London’s social history
Mayhew first approached the National Trust several years ago about the donation. The charity considered whether it was the right organisation to safeguard the property for the long term before accepting the offer.
Porten said Rules offered an opportunity to preserve a distinctive part of London’s social history, reflecting centuries of dining, theatre, business and personal encounters.
The charity is also exploring virtual visits and other ways for people to experience the historic interior without visiting in person.
With the donation, Rules’ building and contents will receive long-term protection, while the restaurant itself will continue serving diners in the setting that has defined it for generations.
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