New owners of Aysgarth Falls Hotel in the Yorkshire Dales apply to replace campsite with 15 lodges and to demolish Victorian piggery to extend kitchen

The 18th-century inn was sold to Barnsley-based The Brook Group in 2021 after its previous owners decided to retire. They inherited a restaurant with a reputation for fine dining, 11 guest bedrooms and a touring caravan and camping site, but have submitted redevelopment plans to make the hotel more attractive to families and a year-round destination.

A planning application now under consideration by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority would see a Victorian piggery demolished to allow for an extension of the kitchen, a new casual dining area aimed at families and an outdoor bar.

The 10 caravan pitches and 20 tent spaces would be replaced by 15 timber lodges and a toilet block designed to blend into the environment, some of which would be fully accessible. The scheme would also see 21 new parking spaces added, but would create 17 new jobs. Planning consent has already been granted for a delicatessen stocking local produce.

The Brooks wish to make the hotel a more ‘seasonally resilient’ business by increasing occupancy rates and welcoming families and dogs.

A heritage consultant who compiled a report on the building, which was historically known as the Palmer Flatt Inn until a name change in 2010 and is located on the site of a medieval hospice, stated that the piggery is now a ‘general ancillary building’ with functions over time that are unclear, and is of no significant architectural value.

The application’s accompanying report states: “The owners are proposing to make a significant investment to modernise and transform the hotel into a destination of distinction. Shifting market dynamics within a post-pandemic world alongside the rise of experiential tourism demand a response to ensure the long-term viability of the business.

"The subject proposals will enable the hotel to diversify its visitor proposition, provide greater choice and attract a wider market with a greater ability to serve more customers on a year-round basis.

“Whilst the hotel enjoys consistently high occupancy throughout the year, with a sleeper/diner ratio varying between 80-90 per cent, the current camping arrangement in the hotel grounds is hindered by seasonal change.

“Unlike a traditional touring/camping model, the more seasonally robust lodges will provide visitors with a high level of comfort across the seasons, enabling families and pets to enjoy the special qualities of the national park, whilst the hotel extension will boost the number of covers the restaurant can accommodate.”

Their consultants also argued that the removal of the touring and camping pitches would result in no significant overall loss of pitches available in the wider area, and would make the site accessible to guests who do not own their own caravan while meeting changing visitor needs and requirements.

The Brook family started out owning and running nightclubs in the 1990s, but have more recently begun acquiring upmarket bar and restaurant venues across Yorkshire.