Key Points
- Rogano, Glasgow’s well-known art deco restaurant, has remained closed behind boarded windows on Exchange Place for six years.
- The closure, first intended to be temporary in March 2020, became prolonged after flooding in the winter damaged the building’s interior.
- The dispute centred on whether the restaurant owners or the landlord should pay for repairs and lost income, with claims running to about £789,000.
- The case reached the UK Supreme Court, which unusually sat in Glasgow at City Chambers for the appeal hearing.
- On the morning of the hearing, Rogano’s legal team told the court a settlement had been reached late the previous evening, ending the dispute at the eleventh hour.
- The hearing had drawn strong public and media attention because of Rogano’s status and because the landlord is linked to Amancio Ortega’s Pontegadea empire.
- The broader question of when, or whether, Rogano will reopen remains unresolved despite the legal settlement.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) May 21, 2026. As reported by BBC Scotland and STV News, the case had been due to decide who would pay for substantial repair costs after flooding damaged the building, but the matter was resolved before the appeal could be heard in full.
What happened at City Chambers?
As reported by the BBC, the dispute had been expected to draw intense interest because the Supreme Court rarely sits outside London and because Rogano is one of Glasgow’s best-known restaurants. The court gathered at Glasgow City Chambers for the appeal hearing, but the atmosphere shifted when David Thomson KC, representing Forthwell Ltd, told judges that an agreement had been reached the night before.
Thomson described the timing as “a matter of considerable professional embarrassment”, and also accepted that settling proceedings the night before an appeal was “highly unsatisfactory”.
The hearing had already attracted a crowded public gallery, with press and members of the public attending in significant numbers.
That level of interest reflected both the restaurant’s local profile and the scale of the dispute, which had moved through the Scottish courts to the UK’s highest civil appeal court.
The case was not merely about a restaurant reopening, but about liability for repair costs, income losses, and the wider legal consequences of how such disputes are handled.
Why was Rogano closed?
Rogano first closed in March 2020, with the shutdown initially intended to be temporary. That changed after flooding in the winter caused damage to the building’s interior, making the closure open-ended and triggering a long-running argument over repairs.
The restaurant has since remained behind boarded windows on Exchange Place, a visible reminder of the unresolved dispute.
The restaurant’s owners argued that the building damage had had a severe impact on the business and sought compensation that included repair costs and lost income.
The BBC reported that the legal team was petitioning the court to compel the landlord’s side to carry out repairs or pay damages amounting to £789,000.
Earlier reporting also made clear that the owners believed the freeholder was responsible for maintaining and insuring the building, while the landlord’s side disputed liability.
Who were the parties involved?
The restaurant side was represented by Forthwell Ltd, with David Thomson KC speaking for the owners in court. The dispute was against Pontegadea UK, the company linked to Spanish retail billionaire Amancio Ortega, founder of Zara.
That connection helped turn what might otherwise have been a technical property dispute into a story with wider public interest.
The BBC noted that Rogano has long been associated with Glasgow’s dining history and has hosted high-profile figures including Henry Kissinger and David Bowie.
That reputation made the legal battle matter beyond the immediate parties, since many in Glasgow have seen the restaurant as part of the city’s heritage and social memory. STV News also reported on earlier setbacks in the owners’ legal bid against the landlord over the closure.
What did the case seek to decide?
At the centre of the case was who should bear the cost of repairs after the flooding damage. The owners also pursued compensation for the income lost while the restaurant remained closed.
Because the legal questions involved a long chain of responsibility under property and commercial law, the case had been treated as potentially significant beyond Rogano itself.
The dispute had already passed through the Scottish courts before reaching the Supreme Court stage. According to the earlier BBC report, a written judgment had previously allowed the case to progress, while STV later reported that the owners suffered a setback in their legal challenge.
That meant Wednesday’s hearing had been expected to bring the matter to a major turning point, even though settlement prevented a final judgment on the appeal issues.
Why did the hearing draw attention?
The hearing was unusual because the Supreme Court seldom sits in Glasgow. STV News said the court was preparing to sit in Glasgow for four days of appeal hearings between May 18 and 21, with the hearings taking place in the Burgh Hall of City Chambers. That alone made the day notable for legal observers and the public alike.
The wider public interest also came from the combination of Glasgow civic heritage, a famous restaurant, and a landlord connected to one of the world’s richest businessmen.
The BBC described the hearing as something of a civic spectacle, with a packed gallery and strong press attendance. In that sense, the case became a rare mix of local sentiment and high-level legal process.
What has been reported so far?
The clearest reported development is that the dispute has been settled, but only at the last minute. David Thomson KC told the court the agreement had been reached late on Tuesday evening, and the judges’ response suggested frustration that the matter had not been resolved sooner. That means the Supreme Court hearing did not end with the kind of public ruling many had expected.
At the same time, the settlement does not by itself answer the most practical question for the public: when Rogano might reopen.
Earlier reporting suggested that reopening had already been delayed repeatedly, with one source noting that the timetable remained uncertain and that a decision on lost profit claims might not come before summer.
The legal settlement may remove one barrier, but the restaurant still faces the separate realities of repair work, business planning, and physical restoration.
Background of the development
Rogano is one of Glasgow’s best-known restaurants and has long held a place in the city’s dining history. It closed in March 2020, then remained shut after flooding damage complicated what was first presented as a temporary closure.
The ownership dispute later moved through the Scottish courts, with the owners arguing over who should pay repair bills and compensate for lost income.
The case reached the UK Supreme Court, which is significant because it is the highest appeal court for civil cases across the UK.
The hearing in Glasgow drew added attention because it was one of the court’s rare sittings outside London. Rogano’s association with the city, and the fact that the opposing side is linked to Amancio Ortega’s Pontegadea business interests, kept the story in the public eye for years.
Prediction
For Glasgow diners, the settlement may reduce legal uncertainty, but it does not guarantee a swift reopening. If repairs and any related business arrangements can now move forward, the main benefit for the audience is that the restaurant may finally progress from courtroom dispute to restoration work. However, if practical steps remain contested or costly, the reopening could still take time, leaving the city without one of its most recognisable hospitality venues for longer.
For the wider Glasgow public, this development is likely to be seen as a legal conclusion rather than a commercial relaunch. The immediate effect is that the court fight has eased, but the future of the site will depend on what follows after the settlement.
