Popular local gastro pub The Penny Bun, located near Ilkley, has clinched the title of AA Inn of the Year for England at the prestigious AA Bed & Breakfast Awards. Following this landmark regional victory, the destination will now head south to compete for the ultimate national UK title at a major awards ceremony in London this coming September.
As a core part of the progressive Denton Reserve, The Penny Bun offers an innovative, earthy retreat featuring five contemporary, completely screen-free guest bedrooms built for ultimate relaxation. The neutral, high-end interiors beautifully echo the green hues of the nearby moorland. The property boasts several inviting dining spaces complete with roaring log fires, massive picture windows, generous al fresco terraces, and panoramic views of Wharfedale – all thoughtfully furnished by independent makers who prioritise sustainability.
Reacting to the top industry award, Harriet Hughes-Payne, Director of Operations at Denton Reserve, said: “We are thoroughly delighted to receive this Award at such an early stage of our evolution, and praise goes to the wonderful team behind The Penny Bun who go above and beyond to serve high-quality food and provide exceptional Yorkshire hospitality.
“Our philosophy of turning ‘food miles into metres’ is proving that local produce and sustainable design really does make for an unbeatable match: we can’t wait to continue our hospitality journey.”
Under the expert leadership of head chef Tim Kitchen, the cuisine focuses on responsibly sourced, fresh regional ingredients, celebrating the very best of Yorkshire’s natural larder. Operating with an ambitious ‘field to fork’ mindset, the team holds long-term plans to eventually source ingredients entirely from the working farms and historic walled garden situated directly within the Denton Reserve.
Guests can experience this hyper-local philosophy firsthand through seasonal menu highlights, such as slow-braised Denton beef raised directly on the estate, served with confit leek mash and beef fat parsnips, or handmade ricotta gnocchi tossed with Yorkshire asparagus and a rich Yorkshire Pecorino sauce. Rooms at the boutique inn start from £250 per night on a Bed & Breakfast basis.
The Penny Bun’s rapid success is closely intertwined with its parent estate, Denton Reserve, an expansive 2,500-acre nature regeneration project. Since launching a major landscape recovery programme in 2023, the reserve has focused heavily on biodiversity, carbon capture, and soil health.
Environmental milestones across the estate include planting 40,000 new trees alongside plugs of sphagnum moss to sequester carbon, and reviving a historic walled garden to grow seasonal produce for the first time in over 60 years. The estate has also introduced rare breed Tamworth pigs and White Park cows to graze naturally across the land, beautifully restoring local habitats while seamlessly supplying the award-winning kitchen down at the inn.
