Agellus Hotels appoints new director

Agellus Hotels has announced the appointment of chef patron, Lee Bye, to the family-owned hospitality group’s board of directors. 

Bye reportedly worked his way through the Tuddenham Mill kitchen to become head chef in 2014 and has been recognised in the high achievers under the age of 30 working in the hospitality industry. In 2018 he was made chef patron, in charge of running the hotel and pubs, a position he will retain alongside his directorship.

Bye’s appointment comes as Agellus prepares to open two new properties, Millers House in Tuddenham, and Quay House in Ely, to “further strengthen” its existing East Anglian portfolio, which includes countryside hotel, Tuddenham Mill, near Newmarket, and coastal pubs, The Lifeboat Inn and The Chequers Inn, in Thornham, North Norfolk.

It is reported that Agellus bought Millers House and Quay House in 2021. Quay House, on the banks of the River Great Ouse in Ely, will become a high-quality city restaurant with a broad menu, while Millers House will be reconnected with its historic origins as the miller’s house to provide seven more bedrooms and further dining options for hotel guests.

Interior designer, Rose Murray, from These White Walls is said to be working with Bye to “define the look and feel” at Millers House and Quay House. The opening date of both projects is yet to be confirmed.

The acquisition of Quay House is thought to confirm Agellus’s position as a provider of city, coast and country hospitality for visitors to East Anglia.

Bye said: “I am delighted to be joining the board of the Agellus business. I feel I have a lot to offer at this level, and I am looking forward to driving the business forward in the years to come, and growing our team of brilliant people.

“The industry I love is going through the most challenging times it has ever known, but there is a confidence and ambitious forward momentum within Agellus.’’