John Gibson: Now take it from Kenny Chan

By JOHN GIBSON
Published on Friday 3 February 2012 12:01

A NEW dawn for Kenny Chan down at Dundas Street. He has given up at the Kweilin but not gone far. To Barnton. He’d recently recovered from the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon, when he explained the move.

“We are seeing big changes in Edinburgh’s dining habits. They’re eating at home more, in front of the television, and that’s why I’m now concentrating on my Chinese takeaway at Barnton, the Royal Dynasty.

“Hardly dynamic, I agree, but a lot of restaurants are going to the wall in the city centre. To me it was like an oncoming train. I could see this light at the end of the tunnel.

“But I’m keeping it in the family, so to speak. My brother-in-law, Alan Shek – like me, he’s from Hong Kong – has bought the Kweilin. It’s a wrench giving up after I took over four years ago from Derek Tang. I got to know so many of our customers.

“The Kweilin’s reputation is such it’s bound to survive,’’ adds Kenny, 36. “There’s room for it in the New Town and certainly for me with the Royal Dynasty and Barnton’s fireside diners. I see it like a new dawn.”

Glow away Gus

When I first knew of Sir Angus Grossart, pictured, he was lording it in Leith. On the fags. Woodbines. Packets of five with enough change to finance lounging in the sun at Porty’s open-air pool.

Angus MBE (Merchant Banker Extraordinary) all but sent me to A&E the other day, the glow from his cigar so intense as he chomped across Hangover Street.

Well, who’d deny him one of life’s little luxuries?

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