A RESTAURANT owner is looking for somebody to take on The Boatyard in Leigh.

John Cross, 78, owns the High Street restaurant which has an annual turnover of about £2million.

He has hired estate agents Ayers and Cruiks to find someone to lease the business from him - and he hasn’t ruled out selling it instead.

Mr Cross told the Echo since he bought the site in 1993 he has enjoyed developing and growing the business but feels it’s time for someone else to be at the helm.

Steve Ayers, from the estate agents, said the lease price is £350,000 to buy the lease and then £150,000 for year with the aim being a lease for at least ten years.

Mr Cross said: “It has been a great deal of fun but there has got to be a time when I consider standing down and handing it over to someone else.

“It needs someone who is young, bold and passionate.

“I am very keen to make sure The Boatyard theme is kept the same as it is now and it’s very important to me that it is business as usual.

“There will be no staff changes or anything like that.

“The only difference will be that it wont be me at the helm of the restaurant.”

Mr Cross said he is looking for someone he will be confident can take the business forwards and improve it while keeping what has made it a very popular restaurant.

He said: “It is not on the cards to sell completely but what I would say everything has a price.

“If someone came forward with an attractive offer I would be foolish to not consider it.”

Mr Cross said he believes he owns the best restaurant site in Essex and that there is nothing like his venue.

Over the years the business has attracted some big name diners including Prime Minister Theresa May MP, Southend West MP David Amess, singer David Van Day, and Allo Allo comedy actress Vicki Michelle.

The restaurant serves a number of top dishes from la carte, set, Sunday, deck and Christmas menus.

It advertises itself as combining the benefits of a modern purpose-built restaurant with the classic surroundings of the Old Leigh fishing village. As the name suggests the venue was previously a boatyard. Anyone interested should direct enquiries to Ayers and Cruiks.