Celebrity TV chef forced to close beloved restaurant after ‘bitter row with landlord’ in ‘perfect storm’ of events

A CELEBRITY TV cook has been forced to adjacent his beloved edifice aft a "bitter row" with the landlord "over cash".

Owned by a salient Scottish hospitality couple, they person described the enactment arsenic a "perfect storm" of events.

The closure of the high-profile Bridge of Allan edifice has seen Nick and Julia Nairn manus backmost the keys to Douglas Wood.

Nick, a well-known personage chef, was the youngest Scot to triumph a Michelin Star successful the aboriginal 1990s.

Last year, Nick saw the doors of his edifice Nairn's connected Henderson Street adjacent its doors for the last time.

The brace person since revealed that a absorption declaration with Wood had go "onerous", reports The Herald.

Describing however they antecedently agreed to run the erstwhile Jam Jar restaurant, they elaborate however the planetary pandemic hit the hospitality sector.

The edifice was rebranded successful February successful 2020 and was besides struck by a fire successful August 2021.

Its revival arsenic Nairn's took spot successful July 2023 and the high-profile mates person claimed their attempts to renegotiate the deal with Wood were rejected.

Wood has rejected these claims and has alternatively suggested that helium was among many successful the hospitality sector who were forced to alteration the mode they traded retired of the pandemic.

He has besides suggested the restaurant's closure has near him £100,000 retired of pocket.

After a petition by the erstwhile landlord and proprietor of section excavation merchant, WoodWinters, Stirling Sheriff Court granted a winding-up order.

This was issued to N&N Realisations, the institution liable for the edifice astatine the time.

Wood's petition was portion of his attempts to question outstanding rent that was owed to him nether the 10-year absorption declaration presumption with the Nairns successful 2019.

Despite the Nairn's agreeing to presumption wherever they would request to wage a percent of turnover to Wood each quarter, the mates assertion the declaration was unviable aft a alteration successful trading conditions.

Julia Nairn told The Herald however the "world has changed" by the clip the edifice reopened, noting the cost-of-living crisis.

She said: "We had precise small to autumn backmost on. The outgo of surviving situation had kicked successful [and] we opened with the incorrect offer. We did a tiny plates connection successful Bridge of Allan [but it] turned retired cipher wants tiny plates connected a Wednesday day successful Bridge of Allan. Saturday nighttime was great, but Wednesday lunchtime was not."

Explaining however they went to unfastened aft 2 years of closure, they abruptly faced a maximum constituent of percent turnover to Wood.

Nick Nairn besides described however "repeated requests, either straight oregon done the landlord, to beryllium down and renegotiate this absorption agreement" were rejected by Wood.

The erstwhile landlord dismisses these claims, and alternatively declared however the mates had "consistently" breached outgo terms.

N&N Realisations, which is solely directed by Julia Nairns, has been declared arsenic liquidated, according to its institution leafage connected the authorities website.

According to authoritative documents amusement however N&N Realisations, formerly Nairn & Nairn Limited, beryllium a shortfall to creditors of much than £300,000, The Herald reports.

Julia has since suggested the creditors' reports were a "snapshot taken successful August" with suppliers who "were paid a agelong clip ago".

Referring to the inter-company debt, Mrs Nairn told The Herald: "That was the fig that was taken astatine the clip [liquidators were appointed]. We person worked with the accountant and the head [liquidator].

"That fig has been reduced immoderate and determination is simply a program to wage backmost what is owed. There volition beryllium wealth going into that cookware from america personally."

Reviews of the edifice from earlier it closed suggest galore enjoyed their stay.

With astir noting it arsenic fantabulous connected Tripadvisor, erstwhile customers did not look to conflict to praise the nutrient and service.

The Sun has approached Douglas Wood for comment.