Scottish chef has outlined his plans for a new restaurant, weeks after the closure of Fhior.
Hamilton Place is set to welcome a new neighbourhood pub and restaurant at the end of May.
The Captain Darling promises to be a lively social hub for locals, offering a relaxed setting for friends, families, and even dogs.
A Proper Pub with Proper Food
Open seven days a week from lunchtime until late, it has been designed as a welcoming classic pub. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar or have table service, with a wide selection of beers, world wines, speciality spirits, and cocktails to choose from.
A separate dining area will serve a modern all-day pub menu, featuring classics like prawn cocktail, handmade savoury pies, and meats cooked over coals. Sundays will offer a highlight - a traditional roast with all the trimmings.
When in the planning stages for the new eatery, Scott admitted that he wasn't convinced by the overall look.
He said: “When I first met with John Howard, the kind of first words that got thrown around were 'gastropub' - and that put me off. Nothing wrong with gastropubs in general, but to me it kind of indicates mediocre, sometimes. We looked at it again and said, 'no, it’s got to be a pub. It’s got to be a place where you're going to go and have a pint and not be put off, but the food’s also got to be bloody good.' You get tourists asking, ‘Where’s a good pub for lunch or dinner?’ And it’s hard to recommend. There are lots of good gastropubs, but nowhere you can walk in and get a really good pint and some really nice, proper pub food, not just fish and chips or burgers, but things like a proper prawn cocktail, that’s what we’re aiming for.”
Hands-On from the Start
He added: "I’m very much hands-on and involved in the opening. I designed the menu and recipes, hired the head chef, and helped build the rest of the team. I’ll be there for the opening and probably one or two days a week just to make sure the quality is where it needs to be. But the goal is that I can step away in six months and leave it running the way the client wants. It’s exciting to be part of the stressful, hard-working setup phase - and then move on when it’s managing itself.
“A key feature will be our grill section, with a rotating selection of meats cooked over coals – proper pub cooking with a bit of flair. Our Sunday roast, with porchetta front and centre, is something we hope becomes a bit of a local tradition.”
Scott also recently founded Blank Plate Creative, a hospitality consultancy firm.
The Òir Group is an independent hospitality company that have operated restaurants such as Bodega & Lucky Yu within the city for over a decade.
John Howard, owner and director of The Òir Group, said: “With The Captain Darling, we want to create a proper pub in the heart of Stockbridge – somewhere that feels part of the neighbourhood from day one. It’s going to be a place people can rely on, whether they’re dropping in for a quick pint, catching up with friends, or sitting down for a good meal.
“We will be open seven days a week with a relaxed, welcoming vibe, and a strong bar and food menu at its core. Great drinks, quality food, friendly service, a bit of atmosphere – and yes, dogs are always welcome.”
The end of Fhior
The news comes after the permanent closure of Scott’s previous restaurant, Fhior.
The restaurant, co-owned by Scott, and his wife Laura, won multiple awards and is listed in the Good Food and Michelin Guides.
Read more: 'We’ll carry the spirit of what we built here into everything that comes next'
Scott added: "It just became unaffordable. We tried everything to turn it around. We even took out personally secured loans, which in hindsight wasn’t the right thing to do. We knew if we kept going, we’d be forced to close anyway. So it was better for our integrity and the brand to close it on our own terms. It was a really hard decision - one we probably should have made a year ago. But when it’s something that personal, you always find a reason to try and keep it alive.”
At the time of the closure, in a post on social media, Scott and Laura said: “After nearly seven incredible years, we’ve made the deeply difficult decision to bring our restaurant, Fhior to a close.
“This has not been an easy decision. Fhior has meant the world to us - not just as a restaurant, but as a place where we’ve met lifelong friends, shared unforgettable moments, and worked with some of the most passionate, generous people we could have ever hoped to cross paths with.
"From our dedicated team past and present, to our wonderful regulars, guests, and suppliers - you’ve helped make Fhior a place of purpose and genuine connection. We are so incredibly grateful.
“Ultimately, this decision comes down to a number of personal and practical factors, including the arrival of our second child and a desire to spend more time with our growing family. While the restaurant has achieved so much, the cost of doing things the right way in a very difficult hospitality climate has taken its toll.
"Rather than compromise what Fhior stands for, we’ve chosen to close on our own terms, with intention, and with the same care and integrity that defined every service. Our team has been part of this process and we’ve been able to help them all find new jobs.
“We want to end well - there’s still time to join us over the coming weeks, and we’ll be doing everything we can to ensure this final chapter is one we can all be proud of."
Written by Abi kinsella
