étain Glasgow's head chef buys Fife's Peat Inn

Fife's internationally-renowned Peat Inn restaurant with rooms has been acquired by the current head chef of étain in Glasgow, which was Conran Restaurants' first destination restaurant outside of London.

Geoffrey Smeddle (who trained under Michelin-starred chefs Herbert Berger and Chris Galvin) has bought the Peat Inn with his wife Katherine, who brings a background in five-star hotels to the venture.

They paid in excess of the £750,000 guide price quoted by the Edinburgh office of Christie + Co.

The former 18th century coaching inn is located at the crossroads in the centre of the hamlet of Peat Inn, which was named after the inn.

The business is just six miles from the golfing and university town of St Andrews and has catered for championship golfers, politicians and celebrities.

The three-rosette, 48-seat restaurant was joined in the 1980s by The Residence, a standalone two-star hotel with eight bedroom suites, of which seven have a split-level layout.

The property also has a four-bedroom owners' flat along with other staff accommodation.

It has been run for the past 34 years by award-winning chef David Wilson and wife Patricia.

By Angela Frewin