Christie & Co bring renowned Yorkshire restaurant to market

The Box Tree has been an ever-present feature of the Yorkshire fine dining scene for over 50 years, combining 21st century efficiency with exquisite good taste. Dating from 1720 and one of the oldest buildings in Ilkley, The Box Tree restaurant was opened in 1962 and quickly became the North’s most successful restaurant. Over the years, the Box Tree has won numerous accolades and Michelin stars as renowned chefs Michael Truelove, Edward Denny and the more contemporary Marco Pierre White, each made their mark on the menus and the history of the restaurant.

The Box Tree occupies a high-profile position in the prosperous and picturesque spa town of Ilkley which is situated in the Wharfe Valley, at the southern end of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The town is famous for its moor and spectacular countryside walks and is a desirable place to live, with excellent road and rail links.

Owners Simon and Rena Gueller have worked tirelessly to deliver their clientele an exceptional dining experience with innovative food and the highest standards of fine dining, whilst retaining the essence of what makes the Box Tree such a loved and unique place. Over the last two years they have undertaken significant investment including a comprehensive refurbishment of the front of house and public areas as well as improvements within the kitchen.

In addition to the on-site business, a selection of wedding and corporate catering assignments are facilitated under the ‘Box Tree Events’ banner. These include exclusive provision of weddings at nearby Denton Hall, Ilkley, fine dining within the state and gallery dining rooms of Harewood House, together with wedding and corporate events at Broughton Hall, Skipton.

With a high quality and experienced team at the Box Tree, and after 15 years at the helm, Simon and Rena are looking to take a step back and hand the reins to new owners, they comment, “After over 35 years in the Yorkshire restaurant scene we are looking forward to taking some time to spend with our family and some well-earned holidays. With a new grandchild on the way we felt now was the right time to engage Christie & Co to find the right person to take the business forward. We are very excited to see how the Box Tree and the events side of the business progress and we are happy to support the transition in any way. We have a wonderful team of staff in situ, not least Michael Carr, our head chef, Michelle Hudson-Renton, who heads up the events side of the business and Chris Stapleton, our restaurant manager, as well as a dedicated team both front of house and in the kitchen, so any new owner will benefit from an experienced and highly motivated team.”  

Jon Patrick, Head of Leisure & Development at Christie & Co is overseeing the sale process and comments; “We are delighted to be bringing to the market such a rare and sought-after opportunity. The reputation of the Box Tree alongside the potential to increase the events and catering side of the business with the creation of a centralised production and distribution facility will no doubt attract interest from across the UK and beyond. Christie & Co were responsible for the sale of the Box Tree when it first came to market back in 1986 and we are well aware of the history of this wonderful restaurant and are looking forward to finding new owners for the next chapter in its evolution.”