Rent-free incentive to attract right person to Dales smokehouse

Smoked trout produced at The Kilnsey Smokery have been recognised as some of the best in the country, but as decades of growing the enterprise owner Jamie Roberts feels the time is right to hand over the reigns.

To widen the appeal of the smokehouse near Skipton, which is available on a six-month lease priced £30,000, Mr Roberts is prepared to waiver the first 12 months’ rent which ordinarily would be £415 a month.

Mr Roberts hopes to find an entrepreneur with a passion for quality food production.

He said: “We spent decades building up a successful smokehouse business and can look back with pride that our smoked trout has been recognised as some of the best in the country.

“However with the growth of other business interests, we needed to take a step back from the running of the smokehouse which stopped trading this spring. It’s now time for somebody else to enjoy the business and develop the brand while working in fantastically scenic Dales surroundings.”

He added: “We’re offering the rent-free enticement as we’re so keen for the right person to take over the reins so the Kilnsey Smokehouse thrives for years to come. We will provide full training to those who are new to smoking food as we can see the potential for building on a great artisan brand.”

The Kilnsey Estate where the smokehouse is based harks back to the time when Cistercian monks from nearby Fountain’s Abbey farmed the surrounding lands and smoked fish and meat for their guests.

Three decades ago the Roberts family resurrected the practice, learning the trade from master smoker Jurg Bleiker before starting to smoke their own springwater-reared rainbow trout.

The business is marketed by Knightsbridge.