The River Cafe could be forced to close because of a legal splat between architect Lord Rogers, whose wife Ruth runs the restaurant, and Marco Goldschmeid, his former business partner.
Goldschmeid has lodged a £10m claim in the High Court against Lord Rogers and John Young, another former partner, in their architectural business who is now retired.
He wants to sell the Hammersmith, west London, complex, which houses Lord Rogers’ headquarters and the restaurant. The complex made all three of them millionaires when they bought and developed it in the 1980s.
He is believed to want to force Richard Rogers Partnership to pay higher rents in the short term. The long-term plan is to sell up and realise the hugely increased worth of the land which could be up to £30m.
Both parties declined to comment to The Times, which reported on the row after a report in Building Design on Friday.
The Times 18/11/06 page 19