Hendersons - an Edinburgh institution that pioneered the UK’s first family-owned vegetarian restaurant - is set to close its doors after 58 years in the business.
Picture: Janet and Mac Henderson in 1934
After marrying farmer Mac Henderson, she opened firstly at 92 Hanover Street as a farm shop selling surplus fruit and vegetables from their organic market garden on the family farm in East Lothian with a hope to educate the resident’s of Edinburgh on the benefits of a healthy diet.
In April 1963, she opened up the Salad Table, a vegetarian restaurant in the basement of the shop at 94 Hanover Street.
Vegetarianism and veganism was unheard back in the 1960s, and Janet would never advertise that the business was such so as not to discourage people from the offering. Her aim was to create a relaxed environment - to welcome everyone through the door for simple, wholesome and great food.
Janet had seven children and four of the siblings have worked within the business at some stage between 1962 and 2018, with grandchildren now involved.
Oliver Henderson and Catherine Home, the two youngest of Janet’s children are the directors of Henderson’s of Hanover Street and Henderson’s Holyrood.
The iconic Salad Table restaurant in Edinburgh’s historic New Town, Henderson’s Vegan restaurant on Thistle Street, the original Henderson’s Shop & Deli on the corner of Hanover and Thistle Street, and their newest venture which opened in 2015, Henderson’s Holyrood will not reopen after the pandemic.
In a statement from the family, they said that the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on business had proved too much to keep the restaurant running and that the restaurant had made the ‘very difficult decision’ to go into voluntary liquidation.
A member of the family said: “Our family has been privileged to play our part in Janet and Mac's great adventure that has been so well supported over the years by many wonderful customers, staff and suppliers whom we would like to thank.
"The three restaurants and deli will not re-open and the staff and suppliers have been informed. We shall all miss being part of Edinburgh’s bustling restaurant scene.”
Many employees over the years having worked in Henderson’s have gone on to start their own ventures such as David Bann, Chris Graham -owner of The Magnum and Simon Hope – Food for Thought in London.
Janet Henderson died in 1973, after returning home from travelling in South East Asia and the business was left to her children. Over the years, the family acquired the Vegan Restaurant, 23 Thistle Street and The Wine Bar in the basement adjacent to The Salad Table.
Hendersons was the longest running vegetarian restaurant in the UK.
