ILKLEY Brewery has been sold to its former manager for an undisclosed sum

The multi-award winning operation has been sold to West Yorkshire-based Half Full Beer Co, set up in April by Luke Raven, who worked at Ilkley Brewery between 2011 and March this year as media and sales manager.

Mr Raven said the deal marked the first phase for Half Full Beer Co, with the launch of a separate, new brewery among its future plans. he promised immediate investment in expanding production at Ilkley Brewery, leading to more jobs.

He said: “With the quality of its beers recognised, and demand high, the opportunity to continue to be a part of the Ilkley Brewery story was not one to be passed up. We are excited and focused on providing fresh impetus to continue building the Ilkley brand.”

Mr Raven was listed in the Britain's Young Business Elite edition of Who's Who after helping set up the Sandinista bar in Leeds. He joined Ilkley Brewery after returning from travelling in Australia where he completed a brewing course.

Ilkley Brewery was founded in 2009 by Chris Ives, with Glentrool Capital Partners investing a mixture of debt and equity in 2011, enabling the brewery to quadruple its output and become an extremely profitable business.

Today it has the capacity to produce two million pints a year and its customers include Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Booths, as well as pub companies throughout the UK. Locally, more than 600 pubs and restaurants regularly stock Ilkley Brewery's award-winning beers.

Chris Ives, said, “When I left the property sector and established Ilkley Brewery six years ago I had no idea it would be so successful in a relatively short space of time.

“I am extremely proud to have established Ilkley Brewery, and to have strategically guided it in the right direction. It is great to be passing over the reins to Half Full Beer Co who I know will continue my philosophy of brewing great beer.”

Paul Nolan for Glentrool Capital Partners, added: “Our investment in Ilkley Brewery has been very successful, having generated upper?quartile returns, resulting in its performance attracting a number of suitors. However, we are delighted to have completed the deal with the team at Half Full Beer Co who are passionate about the business and recognise the potential growth of the company.”

Existing Ilkley Brewery director Richard Shelton will remain in post to ensure continuity and stability.