Biggar was the birthplace of Thomas Gladstones, the grandfather of William Ewart Gladstone. It is now called simply Gladstones. The Gladstones were a large and eccentric family. John Gladstones also served as an elder of Biggar Kirk. He also owns Gladstones Malibu which has been open since 1972. Thomas Gladstones was a Whig and an elder in the Church of Scotland. In 1835, the family name was changed from Gladstones to Gladstone by royal licence. In 2008, Gladstones was the 37th highest grossing independent restaurant in the country. Richard Riordan, former Mayor of Los Angeles, has owned Gladstones since the mid-1990s.