MasterChef finalist gets capital move

ST ANDREWS’ culinary scene will lose one of its top restaurants as MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Dean Banks has been forced to turn his focus to the capital.

The Angus-born chef had always planned to add an Edinburgh restaurant to his portfolio, but has had to close his Haar restaurant in St Andrews following an unresolved lease review with his landlord.

Celebrating its second birthday a few days ago, the restaurant, which was based on North Street in the popular tourist town, had only experienced one full year in operation. The second year has consisted of reopenings and closures throughout the multiple lockdowns as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Unable to come to a conclusion with his landlord on the venue’s lease, Dean has spent the last three months scouting for a new home in St Andrews, with no suitable venues presenting themselves.

He said: “We went to go and open a restaurant in Edinburgh this time last year but we had to stop because of the pandemic. With everything opening back up again soon we decided to kickstart the project again. We have found a different site to the initial one. It is very central and is well known, and is a beautiful place.

“We want to stay here, but we need to look at getting the business trading again for when we can reopen. We don’t want to not have a restaurant open so the key is to get the Edinburgh venue open – probably by June 1.”

Employing 18 members of staff, Dean has confirmed that four or five, who are mainly core staff, have been moved to other areas in the business.

Each member of staff has been offered a job in either Haarbour, Haar at Home or in the new Edinburgh restaurant to safeguard as many jobs as possible.