Britain celebrates 200 years of the curry house
24th June 2010

As Britain prepares to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the curry house in the UK, Cobra beer has conducted research identifying unique facts about the nation's enduring love for curry. The Cobra research has shown that the surprise 'Curry Capital of the UK' is Bromley, Kent where one curry house serves up to 853 individuals. The Kent town overshadowed other locations famed for their curry miles, out-spicing London’s Brick Lane, Manchester’s Curry Mile and Birmingham’s Balti Mile. Veeraswamy, established in 1926 at the same site in London's Regent Street by the great grandson of an English General and an Indian princess, is the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the U.K, and possibly the world. Family directors of Masala World; Ranjit Mathrani, Namita Panjabi and Camellia Panjabi, the trio behind Chutney Mary, Amaya and Masala Zone have transformed the restaurant to the reflect the glamour and glory it exuded in the 1920s.

Curry has been a national favourite since the first curry house – the Hindoostane Coffee House – opened its doors in 1810. Now, with around 9,000 curry houses in the UK, the dish is so popular that a fifth (18%) of Brits rate it as their favourite meal and, as a nation, we spend nearly £400 million on it every week. The curry house hot spot top 10 also challenged the suggestion that curry is a dish mainly favoured by the North and Midlands. With 6 of the top 10 hailing from ‘the south’, unexpected entries included Epsom, Tunbridge Wells, St. Albans and Cambridge.

The Cobra research also pinpointed the nation’s 10 most common curry house names, crowning Taj Mahal as the ‘king of the curry house’ – revealing 56 of the landmark inspired restaurants in the UK. Taste of India, Maharaja, Akash and Spice Lounge also emerged as the curry houses most likely to be seen hotting up high streets around the UK. Common names aside, Cobra identified the quirkier named eateries that spice up our curry loving nation. From Posh Spice and Urban Turban, to Ace of Spice and Some Like it Hot, there is an all-star cast of Indian restaurants that tickle Brits’ funny bones as much as their taste buds.

But, where there are communities spoilt for ‘currynany’ choice, there are also the ‘spice-deprived’ who are miles away from their curry fix. These curry remote locations include Pewsey in Wiltshire, Orton in Cumbria and Gatehouse-of-Fleet in Castle Douglas. As a continuation of the curry-inspired celebrations, Cobra has been sending a mobile curry house to spice up these curry remote locations all week.

Adrian Davey, Managing Director of the Cobra Beer Partnership, explains: “As the home of the nation’s favourite dish, the curry house has become a key part of our culture; as such, Cobra Beer is delighted to be celebrating this milestone. These names are a symbol and lasting legacy of the rich heritage the curry house has brought to life in the UK.”

About Cobra Beer

The Cobra Beer Partnership is a joint venture company that combines the brewing, selling and marketing expertise of the highly successful international brewer Molson Coors, with Cobra Beer’s iconic brand and strong presence in ethnic restaurants and off-trade. Formed in May 2009, the Cobra Beer Partnership is chaired by Cobra Beer’s founder, Lord Karan Bilimoria with the day to day operations managed by Molson Coors (UK).

First imported into the UK from Bangalore in 1990, Cobra Beer is now one of the strongest and best known brands in the world beer category. Cobra is brewed with less fizz, making it the perfect accompaniment to curry, and is a great addition to the UK’s most diverse beer portfolio at Molson Coors (UK).

Molson Coors (UK) has over 2,000 employees in the UK and breweries in Burton on Trent, Alton and Tadcaster. It is the UK arm of Molson Coors, the Global Family Brewer and has a market share of over 20% of the UK beer market. Our portfolio includes Carling, the UK's best selling lager for three decades, Coors Light, Grolsch, Worthington's, Caffrey's, Sol, Cobra and a range of speciality beers.

References:

1. The first curry house in the UK was the Hindoostane Coffee House (London), which was located at 34 George Street and is detailed in the 1810 Marylebone Rate Book
2. Figure courtesy of Pat Chapman website: www.patchapman.co.uk
3. All figures sourced from research compiled by Red Shift in October 2009, surveying 2,157 UK consumers
4. Based on the UK adult population of 45 million (87% who eat curry) with average weekly spend of £8.90 per person

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