Hotel tycoon Surinder Arora has unveiled a Heathrow expansion proposal to rival the airport’s own £49 billion plan. As one of the largest landowners around Heathrow, Arora believes he can deliver the project for about half the cost, around £25 billion. Submitted to the government under the name Heathrow West, the scheme’s key feature is a shorter 2,800-metre third runway, replacing the airport’s proposed 3,500-metre version. Arora’s group says this would avoid the costly and disruptive diversion of the M25 motorway, reduce risks and prevent spiralling expenses.
Developed with infrastructure giant Bechtel, the plan aims to have the runway operational by 2035, with a new terminal opening in two phases, the first in 2036 and the second in 2040. It has a cost estimate of under £25 billion, not including the redevelopment of the airport's existing central area.
Whether it is Heathrow or Gatwick, these airports are not only vital for travel, tourism and trade, they are also major generators of employment. Heathrow alone is estimated to provide around 60,000 jobs, ranging from unskilled to highly skilled roles. The proposed runway extension, which could add hundreds of flights each day, will further boost demand for staff across airport operations, hospitality and a wide range of supporting services.
The Arora Group was founded in 1999 by Surinder Arora and his wife Sunita, and it includes businesses in hotels, property and construction. Surinder came to England from Punjab in 1972 at the age of 13, unable to read and write in English, as lessons in English at his school had barely started before he left. In London, he was reunited with his mother, whose resilience and sacrifice shaped his life. After the partition of India, she had run a small shop in Punjab and trained as a midwife, which helped her get a visa to work in England. By the time Surinder arrived, she had left midwifery and was working in a factory during the day, cleaning banks and offices at night and cooking for students on weekends. Despite her long hours, she kept the home running smoothly and taught her children discipline, humility and the value of hard work.
Adapting to a new country was challenging for Surinder and he struggled through his GCSE. At 18, he joined British Airways as a clerk, later becoming a financial adviser with Abbey Life. His boyhood dream of joining the police gave way to flying after a family friend paid for his first lesson at the London School of Flying. Hooked instantly, but faced with lessons costing £21 an hour, he took on two jobs, at BA during the day for £34 a week and as a wine waiter in the evenings, to fund his training. In 1978, he proudly earned his private pilot’s licence. In the mid-80s, Surinder ventured into property, buying and renovating semi-derelict houses near Heathrow to rent as guest houses. By the mid-90s, spotting a gap for a purpose-built hotel for BA crew, he pitched the idea to the airline and his bank, both of whom initially rejected him. Through persistence and persuasion, he won them over, completing the project ahead of schedule and within budget. Looking back, Surinder credits every success to the example set by his mother.
Today, Surinder Arora is the largest private landowner in the Heathrow area, with several hotels to his name. He also owns some of the UK’s top-class hotels and resort centres, particularly in the South of England. In fact a luxury hotel that Arora group owns near Luton was the residence for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his July visit to the UK. He met the diaspora outside this hotel, a historical 15th century country house and estate, with acres of rolling lands. I have had the privilege of observing Surinder’s journey from very modest beginnings. Nearly 40 years ago, when the foundation was being laid for the Crawley Sanatan Mandir, I was involved in launching the fundraising effort, joined by friends from London, Preston and elsewhere. My modest contribution was £1,000. Surinder, whom I barely knew then and who had just bought a hotel near Gatwick Airport, generously donated £5,000, a gesture I have never forgotten. I believe that was the largest single donation to a Sanatan faith cause in that entire area and it meant far more than just money. It reflected Surinder Arora’s modesty, his ever-present smile and the generous spirit he shares with his wife, Sunita. Over the years, I have come to know him well, along with his children and in-laws.
Just last year, I met him again during a community event at the May Fair Hotel. As always, he greeted everyone with humility, warmth and confidence. Yet behind that modest exterior lies a man of tremendous vision, research, strategic thinking and relentless hard work. Today, he stands among the most influential figures in the aviation and hospitality sectors, with a vision for a new airport development on par with world-class hubs like Singapore’s Changi Airport.
One of Surinder’s biggest strengths is bringing together talented, dedicated and ambitious people from all backgrounds. With top experts on his side, the technical know-how in place and no shortage of funds, I believe his Heathrow West plan stands a real chance of success, especially when compared to other UK projects like HS2, which have faced long delays and huge cost overruns. Knowing Surinder personally, his nature, dedication and even his spiritual strength, I can say with confidence that if anyone can, it’s Surinder.
My connection with Crawley goes back almost to the time I arrived in the UK. I learned that my college friend from Vadodara, Manubhai K Shah, was living and working there. Back in Vadodara, after qualifying in textile engineering at the Kala Bhavan, Faculty of Technology, he had gone to Bradford for further specialisation. But as is often the case, qualifications and career paths depend on many factors, and in those days, many skilled Indians and Asians ended up working in completely different fields. I recall one example of a Dr Patel, a Gujarati from Mombasa, who had spent 20 years running a well-regarded medical practice in Kenya. When he moved to England in 1964, he could not secure a position matching his expertise, so he opened a general store and took pride in working behind the till.
Manu Shah later moved from Bradford to Crawley for work. Crawley has its own unique history, just as Southall is called ‘Little India’ and Leicester as ‘mini Gujarat’, Crawley could be known for having the largest number of families from the ‘Nayee’ community. The process of migration is, in itself, a subject worth studying.
When I came to the UK in 1966, more people from Tanzania were settling in places like Forest Gate in East London. Oshwals moved to Harrow and Barnet, Lohanas to Harrow and after the Uganda expulsion, many Lohanas made Leicester their home because of nearby refugee camps. Crawley grew mainly because of jobs. At one time, there were perhaps a few hundred Nayee families there, including Limbachiyas, Parekhs and others.
I still remember that in 1967, when I went to meet Manubhai Shah, I was also invited for a cup of tea at the home of Shantibhai Patel at 1 Friends Close. Shantibhai was very active in community organisations and during our conversation, the idea of establishing a Sanatan Mandir in Crawley was already taking shape. Over time, and with generous contributions from the Dhamecha family and support from Bhupendra Kansagra, that dream became a reality. Today, the Apple Tree Centre, Sanatan Mandir stands as a beautiful symbol of faith and unity. Although Crawley is south of London, it has become a vibrant centre for our culture, traditions and community spirit, attracting devotees and visitors from far beyond the town.
Dishoom – the Thakrar family’s journey of heritage, heart and hospitality
One more news is in the limelight that the founders of Dishoom have sold part of their stakes in the restaurant chain to an investment firm backed by LVMH, in a deal valuing the business at about £300 million. Cousins Shamil and Kavi Thakrar started the restaurant Dishoom in Covent Garden in 2010. Two of our editors from Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar were invited on the opening day, which was a momentous occasion. Today, the company operates ten restaurants and four cafés under the Permit Room brand, employing around 2,000 people. Shamil is the son of the late Rashmi Thakrar, the man behind the Tilda Rice empire.
I remember the early days when the Covent Garden site was a Slug & Lettuce, Rashmi Thakrar personally invited me to visit. His brother-in-law was Shailesh Manilal Suchak, whose elder brother Bipin Manilal Suchak was a well-known solicitor. I knew Bipinbhai through his family, but my connection to the family goes back even further. In 1963, during a visit to Zanzibar, I met Manilal Suchak, who was a leading figure there at the time.
Equally vivid are my memories of the late Adarniya Narsidas Thakrar, founder of United Riceland, the company behind Tilda and his gracious wife, Adarniya Hiraben. We first met in Leicester perhaps around 1979, before they moved to London. In those early years, Tilda was just a small rice business. The brand name itself is formed from the names of family members. I fondly recall the warm hospitality of Narsibhai and Hiraben at their home in Barnet.
In 1984, during my seven-week visit to India as a guest of the Indian Government, I stayed at the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi. During that time, I travelled to Karnal, Haryana where I spent a few days with Rashmibhai and his family and had the opportunity to visit his rice mill. Even back then, I could clearly see the family’s ambition, determination and vision for prosperity beginning to take shape.
When I was growing up in Bhadran, Gujarat, a village of about 12,000 people, there were only three to five Lohana families. They were shopkeepers, mostly running provision stores and were highly respected in the community. In fact, the main tower in Bhadran, known as Lalu Tower, was built with the generous contribution of Lalu Sheth, also a Lohana.
Bhadran was proud to have three libraries from as early as 1910, a men’s library, a women’s library, and a children’s library. The men’s library was called the Khakhar Library. I remember my mother, Kamalaba, often saying in her own simple way, “Lohanas are brave and courageous, Shatriya by heritage.” All the Lohanas in our area were known as Thakrars and many were reputable, dependable friends and loyal supporters.
It is heartening to see the next generations carry forward the same seeds of ambition, skill and strong family values into ventures like Dishoom. The Thakrar family is not only successful in business but also deeply rooted in relationships and heritage. I also know Dr Vishnubhai Patel from Leicester, his wife was a barrister and he happens to be a distant relative of mine. One of Narsibhai’s sons married Vishnubhai’s daughter, further strengthening these personal and family ties.
It is worth noting Dhamechas, Kansagras, families of Yogesh Mehta, Surinder Arora, Jasminder Singh and many others have not only prospered materially but have also remained anchored to positive cultural values and traditions, steering clear of any negative temptations.
Today we often speak about multinationals, but 50–60 years ago Indian entrepreneurship was not recognised in that way. In India, there were major companies like Tata, Godrej and Mafatlal Gagalbhai with vast operations, though largely within the country. In East Africa, figures like Nanji Kalidas Mehta, Muljibhai Madhvani, the Vaderas, Karimjee Jeevanjee and others were prominent.
Now, however, Indian entrepreneurship has spread across diverse fields, industry, trade, finance, banking, professional services such as medicine and accountancy. It is a sign of the times that they have expanded globally.
Looking at the achievements of the Thakrar brothers, Surinder Arora and many others, I feel that while much has been accomplished, the best is still yet to come.
