Ilkley's celebrated Box Tree restaurant is to become a wedding venue after gaining its licence for civil ceremonies.

The Michelin starred restaurant on Church Street plans to offer the whole special event in future, including the wedding cere-mony itself, and champagne canapé reception and wedding breakfast.

Rena Gueller, who runs the business with husband and chef Simon Gueller, said: “Over the past six years we have been privileged that a number of our guests have chosen to propose to their partners at the Box Tree and have intimated that it would be nice to have a wedding here so we are thrilled that we are now able to make it happen.”

Couples will be able to hold weddings for approximately 30 guests in the building, an old Yorkshire stone farmhouse cottage which dates from around 1720.