Honeybuns, the award-winning makers of gluten-free cakes, based at Holwell, have added to their array of prizes with three Gold awards from last week’s national Great Taste Awards.

The gold certificates were for three of the gluten-free cakes – Snowy Hills, Coppice Cake and Heathcliffe Brownie.

It was certainly cause to celebrate, and last Friday there was a party to open Honeybuns’ “occasional tea room” called The Bee Shack. It was officially opened by the vicar, the Rev John Hamilton and the sun shone obligingly, while guests enjoyed lots of cake and glasses of bubbly. Honeybuns’ veteran donkey, Joan, also tried to get in on the act.

The idea of the Bee Shack, says director Emma Goss-Custard, is “to give people the opportunity to browse our cakes, sample them and buy some if they wish. They can meet the staff, and soak up the glorious views with a cup of Fairtrade tea or coffee. To begin we will be open the first Friday of each month between 2 and 5pm; please do call if you are a party of more than four.

“Please feel free to bring carrots for the rescue ponies and donkey who frequently pop their heads over the Bee Shack door.”