Changes are afoot for two well-known food and drink venues.
The Ford Inn at Greenfield Road, Holmfirth, has new owners after the Tiffany family sold the landmark country inn.
And Bradley’s Restaurant at Fitzwilliam Street in Huddersfield, is on the market after operator Andrew Bradley left to take up new challenges.
The Ford has been bought for an undisclosed sum off an asking price of £595,000 by Huddersfield couple Ed and Nicola Hoyle, who have returned to the town after a spell working living and working in Spain. The sale was arranged through the Leeds office of specialist leisure property agent Fleurets.
It’s a return to the licensed trade for Mr Hoyle, who helped develop Marsden’s Riverhead Brewery some 20 years ago.
Mr Hoyle, who hails from Marsden, and Nicola, who comes from Leeds but has lived in Kirkheaton for many years, moved to a village near Benidorm three years ago where Mr Hoyle worked as finance director of a large supermarket chain.
He said the couple decided to return to Huddersfield, stating: “Neither of us are ready for retirement and we were looking for something we could do using our skills. I knew about the Ford Inn and it is a really nice place, but it needed an injection of fresh enthusiasm.”
Mr Hoyle said the existing team had been retained, but the couple planned “subtle” changes, including revamping the menu and upgrading the pub’s website as well as promoting an under-used upstairs function room.
Nick Thomas, of Fleurets, said: “The Ford Inn is a well-established food-led country inn having been in the Tiffany family hands since 2002. The sale of the Ford Inn brings to a close their 20-year association with the licensed trade in the Holme Valley, having earlier sold The Hepworth restaurant at nearby Hepworth in 2013.”
Meanwhile, the leasehold interest in the former Bradley’s restaurant – one of Huddersfield’s top eateries – has been brought to the market by specialist property adviser Christie + Co.
The 100-cover restaurant has been a prominent and successful fixture on the Huddersfield dining scene for over 21 years, featuring in the Good Food Guide for 20 consecutive years.
Mr Bradley announced in January his intention to leave the restaurant to concentrate on his outside catering business instead.
Oliver Brown, a licensed trade specialist at Christie + Co in Leeds, said: “This vacant site offers a superb ‘blank canvas’ opportunity, providing prospective buyers with the freedom and flexibility to incorporate a wide range of bar and restaurant concepts in Huddersfield’s busy town centre.
“The huge success Bradley’s has enjoyed for over 20 years demonstrates the demand for high-quality eating and drinking venues in Huddersfield and also highlights the property’s excellent location, offering plenty of footfall for another great business.”
The property is available on a nil premium leasehold.
