Tycoon’s office hits market

ONE of Harrogate’s premier addresses has been put up for sale with a £5m guide price by Yorkshire businessman Paul Sykes.

The range of buildings, overlooking The Stray in the North Yorkshire town, have been used as offices by the self-made multi-millionaire since the early 1990s.

Beech Villa and Beech Lodge are being marketed by estate agent Knight Frank with a guide price of £5m.

Tim Waring, of the Harrogate office of Knight Frank, said the complex was available individually or as a lot and could be used for commercial or residential premises depending on the appropriate planning consents being granted.

Mr Waring described the address on Montpellier Parade as a “landmark” building and said Mr Sykes had decided to put the buildings on the market because he had no further use for them.

Mr Sykes was born in 1943 near Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The son of a miner, he left school with no qualifications but after running a scrap business he moved into property development and built the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield which he later sold.

He is estimated to have a fortune of more than £500m.