More than 30 firefighters have battled a huge blaze that engulfed celebrity chef Nick Nairn’s restaurant yesterday evening.

Crews arrived to find a “well developed” fire in the kitchen at restaurant Nick’s in Stirling, Scotland, around 8.17pm.

The restaurant is said to have been packed when the flames ripped through the building.

One customer posted on Twitter: “I was there tonight and had a fabulous meal.

“We’d just moved outside to order cocktails when all hell broke loose, it was terrifying.

“I couldn’t believe how quickly the fire took hold. Your staff are a credit to you, they handled everything so well.”

Just processing the enormity of tonight’s fire at Nicks BofA. Overwhelmed by the love:)! Thank you all so much.
Love right back at you:)
Xxx

Just to let you know, terrible fire at Nicks BofA tonight, but thankfully all staff and customers unhurt. Huge respect and thanks to the emergency services who were incredible 🙏

Pictures on social media showed smoke and flames pouring from the restaurant in Henderson Street, Bridge of Allan.

Nairn, 62, the youngest Scottish chef to win a Michelin star in 1991, found fame with appearances on television shows including Ready Steady Cook and Great British Menu.

The chef and restauranteur tweeted on Saturday night: “Just to let you know, terrible fire at Nicks BofA tonight, but thankfully all staff and customers unhurt.

“Huge respect and thanks to the emergency services who were incredible.”

He later thanked people after receiving dozens of messages of support: “Just processing the enormity of tonight’s fire at Nicks BofA. Overwhelmed by the love:)! Thank you all so much. Love right back at you:) Xxx”.

Two people were treated for smoke inhalation after the incident.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We got a call at 8.17pm to a building alight. We sent two crews from Dunblane and Tillicoultry.

“On arrival crews confirmed this was a well developed fire within the kitchen and requested further attendance.”

The blaze is another blow for Nairn, who told how the coronavirus pandemic has left his business on “life support”.

He was forced to close his Aberdeen pizza restaurant, Nick’s Pizza Bar, with immediate effect in July 2018, less than two years after it opened in December 2016.

The chef said it was “simply not viable” to run the eatery, blaming a slump in the oil and gas industry for hitting the economy in the north east, “leaving people with less money to spend on eating out”.

The Pizza Bar was placed into voluntary liquidation just weeks after Nairn shut down his Cook School in the city at the end of June 2018, again due to an economic downturn.

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