Michael O' Hare's restaurant racked up £1m debt

The company behind celebrity chef Michael O' Hare's Michelin-starred restaurant had racked up debts of nearly £1m before it went into liquidation.

According to newly filed documents, the Man Behind the Curtain, which later became Psycho Sandbar, owed more than £500,000 to HMRC and £370,000 to a company owed by former footballer Gary Neville - who was also a co-director of the firm.

Psycho Sandbar closed earlier this month, just seven months after opening, with Mr O'Hare saying the decision was down to "exciting plans for the future" while being "reflective of the changing experience market".

The BBC has approached Mr O'Hare for further comment.

Other creditors cited in the papers include utilities companies, investors, a wine merchant and pest control.

The Man Behind the Curtain, located in central Leeds, received a Michelin star in 2015.

It was known for its adventurous menu, avant-garde decor and celebrity investment.

Neville, who resigned from The Man Behind The Curtain in September, said he signed "one of the most instinctive and incredible" deals ever in 2018 after eating at the restaurant, according to a post he shared on LinkedIn.

He said instead of the bill, he got an offer from Mr O'Hare to buy 50% of the business.

"From that moment on I was the co-owner of a Michelin star restaurant in Leeds", Neville, 49, posted.

He added: "Fast forward to today and it's taken a brave and courageous decision for Michael to give up his Michelin star and open a new restaurant, Psycho Sandbar, that I went to earlier on in the week."

Neville was listed as a 50% shareholder of the company and, according to the company's statement of affairs, Neville's investment management firm, Relentless, is owed £366,818.

Meanwhile, Mr O'Hare signed documents on 30 October confirming the company would be "wound up voluntarily", with liquidators from BV Corporate Recovery & Insolvency Services Limited appointed on the same day.

Mr O'Hare, 42, from Redcar, North Yorkshire, has appeared on Masterchef and The Great British Menu and is known for his creative inventions, including chocolate pudding with potato foam and edible cellophane.

Speaking to the BBC in March, he said "having a top restaurant is good for the city".

"The majority of our guests haven't been from the local area. All these things add to the economy of the area, it is super important," he added.

He was also involved in another fine dining restaurant in Manchester called The Rabbit in the Moon, which was backed by Neville and Ryan Giggs.

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