£5m properties on Stray put on market

The buildings, which overlook The Stray in Harrogate, have been used as offices by Mr Sykes since the 1990s. Beech Villa, Beech Lodge and Sloane Cottage in The Esplanade are being marketed by estate agent Knight Frank.

Mr Sykes has decided to put the buildings on the market as he had no further use for them. They had been the headquarters for his Highstone Group.

Tim Waring, from Knight Frank, said: “As we expected, there has been quite a lot of interest.”

Mr Sykes rose from being a tyre-fitter to founding several successful multi-million pound businesses. Born in a council house in Barnsley, he made the lion’s share of his fortune in property development, joining forces with Eddie Healey to build up the Meadowhall Shopping Centre near Sheffield. Meadowhall was sold to British Land in 1999, and he has since invested in high-end property deals.