Preston takeaway EAT Indian shuts Fishergate store and moves to new site in city centre

Eat Indian suddenly shut the doors to its Fishergate store over Christmas after a dispute with their landlords who claimed the business owed ‘significant rent arrears’.

A notice of forfeiture was found taped to the windows on December 23, stating the lease had been forfeited and EAT Indian were prohibited from entering the premises – other than to recover their property.

Eat Indian said they vacated the unit after refusing to pay higher rent demanded by the building’s owners, the charity ‘Trustees for Roman Catholic Purposes’.

They have since reopened with a new store in Fishergate, at the now-closed Greekos restaurant and takeaway next to Greggs. The Greek eatery only opened 12 months ago in January 2024.

A spokesperson for the landlords said, as a charity, they have a requirement to seek the best financial return but denied demanding more rent.

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A spokesperson for the charity said: “We leased 42 Fishergate to Eat Indian Preston Ltd. This company was dissolved in January 2024, as a result of which the lease legally ceased to exist. Following dissolution of the company a tenancy at will commenced but the occupier subsequently fell into significant rent arrears.

“We were willing to regularise the restaurant’s position with a new lease, on the same rental amount and structure as the previous one, and offered the occupier the time and opportunity to do so, on condition that they paid the relevant arrears.

“As the occupier was not able or willing to do this, and as there were certain compliance obligations relating to fire safety in the property that they had not met, we took possession of the premises on 23 December.

“The landlord is a registered charity, and the property is held for investment purposes. It is therefore a requirement under the Charities Act to seek the best financial return for the charity from such a property.”