Pub of the Year 2026 | The Royal Oak Hurdlow

The Royal Oak Named East Midlands Pub of the Year 2026

What are the My Local Awards?

The My Local Awards are free-to-enter, publicly voted awards designed to recognise businesses valued by the communities they serve. Businesses cannot pay to be nominated or named a winner, and public votes are verified using a one-time code sent to the voter's phone. This is what makes this award especially meaningful to us.

The Royal Oak has always relied on something much more valuable than advertising alone. We rely on people enjoying their experience, coming back, recommending us and bringing their friends and family with them. To have that support recognised through a public vote is a huge compliment to our entire team.

Why this award means so much to us

There isn't one individual meal, event or customer behind this award. Instead, we see it as recognition of everything that makes The Royal Oak what it is: hearty, homemade food with generous portions, friendly service, a relaxed country pub atmosphere and above all, and a team who genuinely care about looking after our customers.

That approach has remained consistent over the years. We keep things simple and genuine, with a focus on homemade food, friendly service and creating an atmosphere that makes people comfortable returning again and again.

Many of our customers have been visiting since we took over The Royal Oak in 2008, while some members of our team have been with us for just as long. That loyalty means an enormous amount to us and makes a publicly voted award like this feel particularly special.

A traditional country pub in the heart of the Peak District

Awards are something to celebrate, but they don't change what we want The Royal Oak to be. We are an independent country pub in the Peak District hamlet of Hurdlow, surrounded by Derbyshire countryside and conveniently located near both market towns of Buxton and Bakewell.

At our heart, we are still a traditional local pub serving heart, homemade food, generous portions, local ales and a warm welcome. Whether you're joining us after a Peak District walk, meeting friends for dinner, stopping for a pint or visiting the Peak District and Derbyshire for a few days, our aim is simple, good food, friendly faces and a relaxed pub atmosphere without any necessary fuss.

Homemade pub food and generous portions

A Peak District Pub near Buxton and Bakewell

The Royal Oak sits in Hurdlow, between the market towns of Buxton and Bakewell, making us an ideal country pub to visit while exploring this part of the Peak District National Park. Walkers, cyclists, holidaymakers and day visitors regularly find their way through our doors, but we have never wanted to become somewhere designed solely for tourists. We are a local pub first.

The same friendly welcome will be waiting for you whether you've travelled hundreds of miles to visit the Peak District or live just down the road. Our connection with Buxton, Bakewell and the surrounding Peak District is an important part of our identity, alongside the relationships we have developed with local customers, suppliers and businesses.

You can even book one of our holiday cottages at Hurdlow Grange which is a short stroll down the lane or the Tissington and High Peak Trail to The Royal Oak.

Strong community and staying true to our roots

A country pub can be much more than somewhere to eat and drink. It's somewhere to meet neighbours, catch up with friends, celebrate, fundraise, share stories and stay connected.

Over the years The Royal Oak has supported local suppliers, businesses, events and causes, as well as hosting fundraising activities for charities with connections to our customers, team and wider community.

The hospitality industry has changed enormously since 2008, and pubs have faced plenty of challenges along the way. Through those changes, our aim has remained the same, adapt where we need to while protecting what our customers value most.

For us, that means staying true to what The Royal Oak has always been, a welcoming, independent Peak District country pub serving good homemade food in a relaxed atmosphere, supported by a long-standing team and loyal customers who continue to come back year after year.

Winning Pub of the Year in the East Midlands 2026 is something we are incredibly proud of, but it does not change what we want The Royal Oak to be. Instead, it gives us even more encouragement to keep doing the fundamentals well and continue giving both familiar faces and first-time visitors a reason to return.