The Penny Bun: Historic Wharfedale inn reopens after major refurbishment

Formerly known as The Askwith Arms and The Black Horse, The Penny Bun takes its name from a mushroom harvested by their chefs in the nearby woods.

The pub was purchased in late 2022 by Denton Reserve Holdings Ltd, the owners of the nearby Denton Park Estate and has been subject to a substantial construction works package.

The pub has undergone a full refurbishment, including a deep sustainable retrofit to make sure it’s fit for the next 100 years and provides a comfortable and energy efficient place to stay, dine and work.

The pub will now offer a “hyper-seasonal” menu with the best produce from Yorkshire.

When it comes to food, the menus are hyper-seasonal, change often & celebrate the best produce from Yorkshire.

Scott Hessel, The Penny Bun’s Head Chef, won the Roux Scholarship in 1990 at the age of 19. He went on to learn his craft in some of the UK’s & Europe’s finest kitchens, before returning to his roots in Yorkshire.

Scott said: “We are all about sustainability, local and seasonal menus with the emphasis on a pared back style of cookery.

"Over time as the Denton Reserve project is established we will use their regenerative farms to grow more and more of our produce directly – our ambition is to turn food miles into food meters. We can’t wait for customers to experience the excitement and immediacy of our farm to fork food straight from the land.”

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Scott’s food is complimented by the new dining room inspired by local makers & modern craft.

The Penny Bun also offers guests the chance to stay with five rooms.

The fixtures, fittings, and furniture in each room has been sourced from independent craftspeople including Chapter Organics, an award-winning Yorkshire maker of botanical aromatherapy blends.

General Manager (Hospitality), Denton Reserve, Andrew Creese, said: “When we acquired this pub it was to showcase the best of the produce from the estate and to provide a great food and beverage experience for the guests of the estate and the local community alike.

"We are excited to have added bedrooms to The Penny Bun allowing our guests to fully immerse themselves into every aspect of our ethos. Our rooms follow our sustainable mindset through every detail making them a wonderful and unique addition to the local accommodation offering."

Bookings are now being taken for dining and introductory rates for accommodation via the Penny Bun website.