As British Curry Day returns from the 1st December; organisers say the UK has “never had more to be proud of – and never been more anxious about what comes next” for its curry restaurants.

Founded by the late Enam Ali MBE, British Curry Day is a national celebration of the chefs, kitchen teams and family-run restaurants that turned curry into one of Britain’s favourite foods and a symbol of modern, multicultural Britain. But according to his son Jeffrey Ali, who now leads the event, this year’s celebration comes against a backdrop of unprecedented pressure on the trade.

“We are incredibly proud of what this industry has built over the last 60 years,” says Ali.“Curry restaurants helped Britain fall in love with new flavours, created hundreds of thousands of jobs and turned small family businesses into local institutions. But if you talk to owners today, the mood is very different. The past is glorious – the future feels smaller every year.”

Costs up, margins down, doors closing

Industry data shows the hospitality sector is now significantly smaller than before the pandemic, with independent, food-led venues among the hardest hit. Owners point to a simple reality: almost every major cost line has risen faster than they can put up prices.

For curry restaurants, the pressure points are clear:

• Food costs have surged in recent years, from basics such as onions, tomatoes, rice and oil through to meat, dairy and spices.
•  Wage bills have climbed with successive increases in minimum and living wages, plus associated employment costs.
• Fixed overheads including rent, business rates, insurance, energy and finance have all risen and rarely fall back.
•  Tighter visa rules and higher salary thresholds have made it far harder for small businesses to recruit and retain specialist chefs from overseas.

“From the outside, people see a busy dining room on a Friday and assume everything is fine,” Ali says.
“What they don’t see is the food bill that has doubled in a few years, the wage bill that goes up every April, the landlord asking for more, and the reality that bringing in a skilled tandoori or regional specialist chef now means salary levels many small restaurants simply cannot reach. The first Budget from the new government hasn’t changed that picture for most of us. The pressures that were already there are still there.”

 A call for a serious conversation – and public support

British Curry Day organisers are calling for a constructive conversation with government about how to keep the industry viable – from business rates that reflect the realities of high-street hospitality, to visa rules and training that protect the pipeline of specialist chefs.

At the same time, Ali is urging the public to recognise how fragile many much-loved local restaurants have become.

On British Curry Day, participating restaurants will be sharing their stories, showcasing heritage dishes and celebrating the contribution that curry has made to British life.

“Behind every curry is a story,” Ali adds. “My fear is that, without some sensible support and a proper understanding of what we are facing, we will simply have fewer stories in the years ahead. British Curry Day is about honouring the past – and fighting to make sure there is still a future to celebrate.”

A community-led day with no corporate ownership

British Curry Day positions itself in sharp contrast to other curry-related national events, which organisers criticise for being co-opted by big brands and supermarkets. “British Curry Day belongs to the people who built the industry — the chefs behind the line, the owners and workers who’ve kept it going through every crisis.

 Why this matters

The British curry industry employs tens of thousands of people and contributes billions to the UK economy. Its roots trace back to post-war migration, with generations of families building what became one of the nation’s favourite cuisines.

British Curry Day is a reminder that behind every dish is a story — and those stories deserve to be recognised before they’re lost.

Comberton has a number of curry restaurant nearby – the renowned and honoured  Lalbagh at Bourne also the House of Spice in Haslingfield,  and an Indian Takeaway at  Bar Hill Cam Spice