PATARA, a small chain of fine dining Thai restaurants, is set to move into the former Hampstead branch of Aubaine.

It opened its first outlet in London 25 years ago and has restaurants in Knightsbridge, Oxford Circus and Soho, as well as Geneva, Vienna and Bangkok. Aubaine, a series of French restaurants, closed its branch next to the post office in Hampstead High Street last November.

There has been rumours that Byron burgers were sizing up the unit but Patara have now filed planning and licensing documents at the Town Hall.