ONE of Ilkley's best known businesswomen is to hand over the keys of the world-famous restaurant she saved from receivership 12 years ago..

Madame Helena Avis revealed this week that she has retired from running the award-winning Box Tree restaurant in Church Street.

Speaking exclusively to the Gazette, Madame Avis said she wanted to put an end to the rumours which had been circulating in the town since the restaurant closed its doors in April.

Madame Avis's husband, Anthony, died at the end of March after a long illness. Madame Avis, who originates from Greece, said: "According to Greek custom, if you have a business you close it for 40 days until the Memorial Service."

But instead of opening up the restaurant again, she has decided to hand it over to highly-rated chef Simon Gueller. Although she will still retain the freehold on the property, Mr Gueller, former owner of Leeds restaurants Rascasse and Guellers, will lease the Box Tree from her.

Madam Avis said the deal made financial sense and would give her the opportunity to retire without completely losing interest in her pride and joy. She is confident that with its transfer to Simon Gueller, the business will be left in sound hands and continue where she left off with the Michelin starred 35-seater restaurant. She interviewed Mr Gueller for the post of chef at the Box Tree in 1992 but he had other plans at the time and he did not take up the post.

"He is a brilliant chef - I did not want to put into the Box Tree someone completely unknown who would give me no guarantee to continue fine dining. I did not struggle to bring the Box Tree to how it is now then to let it go downhill. I would rather close it than let it go downhill," said Madame Avis.

For the past two years while her husband was ill, Madame Avis had been putting off major refurbishments at the restaurant and these will now take place before a reopening in July.

Madame Avis said: "With the best will in the world I have got to retire - I can't carry on. It is a coincidence - I was ready to retire and he was ready to start a new business. My main concern is that the restaurant will continue with fine dining."

Madame Avis has been internationally recognised for her wine expertise and will continue to act as wine consultant for the Box Tree, keeping the wine list as it is for the moment. She will have no involvement in the running of the restaurant.

Madame Avis, who has had other business interests in the town, bought the Box Tree for less than £200,000. It is now thought to be worth between £1 million and £1.5 million.

When it closed in April interested would-be buyers began contacting the estate agent but Madame Avis is determined to make sure the Box Tree's high class dining tradition continues.

She said: "With all the other approaches I would not have had a guarantee it would continue as fine dining. The main issue is not the money, it is that the restaurant will continue.

"I did not put all that effort to pick up the restaurant in 1992 out of receivership to see it go to rack and ruin, and it is not a solution for the restaurant to close."

Madame Avis has no plans to leave Ilkley once she takes a back seat. "I am staying in Ilkley. I am not going anywhere. Ilkley is wonderful and the Box Tree is part of Ilkley like it or not. I did not want it to go down."

Since she took over the Box Tree it has won a Michelin Star, three AA rosettes and eight out of ten in the Good Food Guide. In November 2000, Madame Avis won the annual Premier Cru award given by Harpers and Queen magazine and the champagne company Mot and Chandon. The award was meant to recognise individuals who give particular restaurants their personality and make them stars of the restaurant world.

According to the organisers, the Box Tree had become one of the most fashionable restaurants outside London.