A fried chicken restaurant chain inspired by the daughter of KFC legend Colonel Sanders has been sold off.
Miss Millie’s, which has branches across Bristol, has been sold for an undisclosed sum to a new company operating in the restaurant sector.
The name of the business taking over Miss Millie's has not yet been revealed.
Miss Millie's was set up by the late Harry Latham, a personal friend of Colonel Sanders, whose daughter Mildred was the inspiration for the restaurant's name.
Mr Latham and his partner Ray Allen launched the first KFC restaurant in Britain in Preston in 1965 and, with the supervision of Colonel Sanders, expanded the franchise to hundreds of stores in a decade.
Mr Latham, , founded Miss Millie's in 1988. The business subsequently grew through store openings and franchising across the Bristol region.
When he retired in 1993, Mr Latham left the running of the chain to his daughters - Ann Walker, Sheila Wilson, Kerry Baldin and Kate Ostrowski.
Ms Walker, former shareholder and managing director, said “The decision to sell a business that’s been in our family for over 50 years was very tough despite us recognising the time had come."
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Before his death, Mr Latham wrote of launching Miss Millie’s.
He said: “On the first day as Miss Millie’s we advertised that we would give away two pieces of chicken and chips to the first 100 customers on the following Sunday at each of our Bristol stores.
“One family appeared in every shop - we must have fed them for days."
Miss Millie's appointed advisors Smith Cooper Corporate Finance (SCCF), which found the new buyer for the business.
A spokesperson for SCCF says the new owners are "very keen" to build on the foundations and heritage created by the founder and his daughters.
They are planning to increase store numbers in the South West and beyond.
Legal advice to the sellers was provided by a team at Napthens.