Michael O’Hare’s restaurant racked up debt of £1million before liquidation

Michael O’Hare’s Michelin-starred restaurant, The Man Behind the Curtain, racked up debt of £1million, before it went into liquidation.

Michael, 43, who appeared on both Great British Menu and MasterChef, changed the name of the Leeds venue to Psycho Sandbar seven months ago.

The Man Behind the Curtain achieved a Michelin star in 2015, but forfeited the accolade when rebranding. Pyscho Soundbar closed earlier this month, Michael citing industry challenges.

Newly-filed documents show the company owed more than £500,000 to HMRC and around £367,000 to Relentless, a company owned by former England and Manchester United footballer Gary Neville, who was also a co-director of the The Man Behind the Curtain.

Gary left his role as co-director of The Man Behind the Curtain in September of this year. He got involved in 2018, after Michael offered him the chance to buy 50 per cent of the business after he went for a meal at the restaurant.

Others owed money by the company include cleaning product suppliers, a wine merchant and pest control.

Michael signed documents on October 30, confirming the company would be “wound up voluntarily”, with liquidators BV Corporate Recovery & Insolvency Services Limited appointed on the same day.