Our Story

The younger days of the team at Northern Box Bar
The team at Northern Box Bar with their wives

A business built on friendship

Chris, Chris & Ross met 30 years ago whilst at secondary school in Calderdale, despite the usual variation in pathways through study and careers, a mutual love of sport, travelling and most importantly beer has kept their friendship alive. 

Now in their 40’s, between them, they have 6 children, 2 cats a dog and very very supportive wives. 

Inspired by greenhill

It was an invite to a corporate match day hospitality event in September 2020, that paved an opportunity to meet up with Simon Greenhill, a long time friend and fellow Yorkshire Man who has his own fleet of Horse Box Converted Bars

Yorkshire Needs This

It’s said that most great concepts begin in London and that’s certainly the case for Simon.

Aside from his career as a West End performer and International Corporate events, Simon has set up the hugely successful Greenhill Bar, a fleet of renovated Rice Horse Box Bars that can be experienced in places such as The London Stadium, StoneX Stadium (Home of the Saracens) & the Iconic Oval home to Surry CCC. 

Simon believed that his home county of Yorkshire needed a concept similar to The Greenhill Bar.

A bar able to deliver absolute quality, showcase local artisan drinks producers and have the versatility to adapt to any event & with that Northern Box bar was born.

Early bird catches the worm

42 days after we’d met up with Simon we had our very first Horse Box, albeit, it wasn’t without adventure. 

Taking our newly ‘Facebook’ sourced horse box from its home in North Bedfordshire, to Halifax took 10 hours.

Involved a 2 hour stop to make temporary adjustments to our brake lights and indicators, doors that didn’t want to stay shut and an unexpected stop from the highway patrol.

However frustrating it was at the time, it was the makings of the romance associated with owning a 30-year-old trailer.

Meet the Team

Chris Illingworth of Northern Box Bar
Northern Box Bar founder

Chris Illingworth

Born and raised in Halifax, Chris & his wife Rachael have 3 children and a cat. 

Chris’s career in project management within the Insurance industry makes him the perfect member of the Northern Box Bar team to oversee restorations, finances and event planning.

Ross Hallam of Northern Box Bar
Northern Box Bar founder

Ross Hallam

Ross is a graduate of the University of Liverpool having studied geography and sports science. 

More recently Ross has worked as a civil servant with responsibilities in town planning, 

Ross takes ownership of procurement and restoration at Northern Box Bar.

Ross is married to Rachel, they have 2 daughters and a cat.

Chris Blackburn of Northern Box Bar
Northern Box Bar founder

Chris Blackburn

Chris has a career stretching back 20 years in sales and marketing, leadership and development, in the last 10 years he’s become a popular influencer across social media with appearances on television and radio.

As you would maybe guess, Chris takes care of all Northern Box Bar sales & marketing.

Chris also lives in Halifax together with his wife Mandy, his daughter Jessica and his dog Luca.