A YORK restaurant based in 400-year-old premises with signatures of The Rolling Stones band members signed in lipstick on the wall has been put on the market.

Family-owned Plunkets, in High Petergate, is being sold through the corporate finance team at accountants and business advisers JWPCreers.

The restaurant is based in timber-framed premises built in 1640 and thought to have once been owned by York chocolatiers, the Terry family.

The property was visited in the 1960's by members of The Rolling Stones, who scribbled their names in lipstick on the wall of the top floor bar, with the signatures preserved to this day.

Plunkets was founded as a family enterprise in 1977 in the three storey property, which has been restaurant for 50 years.

The 80-cover restaurant business, which now has 22 staff, was acquired by the current owners in 2006.

Tony Farmer, corporate finance partner at JWP Creers, which has an office at York Science Park, said: “This is a rare opportunity to acquire an established, well-managed independent restaurant in historic premises.

"Plunkets has its own niche and a history of strong revenues, profitability and cash generation.

“The senior director wishes to pursue other opportunities and the sale of Plunkets provides an ideal chance for an established independent restaurant operator to extend their portfolio or for an independent restaurant business, or national chain, to acquire the business and move into the city."