The building’s owner, J-P Mayhew, said: “There are few restaurants in the world that have endured the test of time like Rules.
“The trust will protect this place in a way that no-one else could, safeguarding its bricks and mortar, its famous interior and its invisible atmosphere, too.
“I am grateful to them for believing in this idea and for protecting this building and two centuries’ worth of stories for people to enjoy forever.”
The restaurant’s proprietor Ricky McMenemy, who has worked there for 35 years, will become a commercial tenant of the conservation charity.
He welcomed the donation, saying: “As an independent business, it gives us both the security and peace of mind that our home will be in very good hands and be protected and secure going forward.”
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