St Andrews businessman on how he turned 16th-century inn into a culinary destination

John Kelly spent years searching for the right location to open his first restaurant.

The St Andrews man knew he had found the right place when a 16th century building in the town hit the market.

For the past 12 years he’s been running The Grange Inn with the help of his 12 members of staff.

John answered our questions on his biggest struggles, achievements and more.

How and why did you start The Grange Inn?

I was always interested in business and enjoyed the challenge of building up a business from the start, and of course being my own boss is important to me with the freedom to pursue my passion for all things food.

How did you get to where you are today?

I had been actively looking for a restaurant business for a few years, when The Grange Inn came on the market, I went to view the premises and I instantly got a great feeling for the place.

It’s a 16th century building with stunning views over the town of St Andrews and beyond to Dundee and the Angus hills.

The Fife area is known for its beautiful countryside and local produce and I was excited to start the restaurant and build it into the successful and popular restaurant it is today.

Who helped you?

I moved to St Andrews in 2013 with my wife Carolyn, who is my business partner and runs the restaurant.

In the beginning it was definitely a small team and very much a family affair. As our business grew we have built a great team of key people within the business, especially the staff, they contribute enormously to our continuing success.

Some of whom have been with us from the beginning, Paul Robertson and Callum Robinson are both local and very talented chefs.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?

The best piece of advice when in this trade is to work in a variety of places to learn as much as possible and gain as much experience as you can. It’s also important to keep learning and improving.

What is your biggest mistake?

When we first opened the Grange Inn we did not take any deposits for large group bookings. This proved an expensive mistake and a real learning experience.

What is your greatest achievement?

Having a successful restaurant.

How are you managing the rising cost of doing business?

We are always looking at ways we can get the best deals on our overhead costs by shopping around for all our utilities. For business we get great advice by being a member of The Federation of Small Businesses

What do you still hope to achieve?

We will continue to develop our relationship with current and new local suppliers.

We base our menu on local seasonal produce and we have great local suppliers, including Pittormie Farm, David Lowrie, Henderson Meat Specialists and more.