Overview
- The building at 34–35 Maiden Lane and Rules’s historic collection were donated to the National Trust in mid-October 2026 in a gift valued at about £11 million.
- The donation includes visitor books, menus, caricatures, photographs, stained glass and signage, and the annual rent from the operating business will be used for conservation.
- Proprietor Ricky McMenemy, who runs the restaurant’s day-to-day business, will continue to operate Rules as a commercial tenant of the National Trust.
- The charity called Rules a rare example of 'living heritage' because the site still serves its original function as a restaurant and will be the first running restaurant building in the Trust’s care.
- Founded in 1798 and once threatened with demolition in 1971, Rules has hosted generations of writers, actors and royals, and the Trust says the gift will protect the building, interior and the venue’s character for generations to come.