A social club formed six months ago after the merger of two historic organisations has been named the best Conservative club in the country.

Rawdon and Guiseley Conservative Club scooped the Sir Marcus Fox Award at a ceremony at the plush Carlton Club in London.

Tory peer Lord Strathclyde presented the award, which is named after the late Sir Marcus Fox, who was chairman of the Association of Conservative Clubs chairman and MP for Shipley.

It is the second award won by the club since the former Guiseley club closed its doors in 2005 and was amalgamated with Rawdon Conservative Club.

The organisation has already been named Yorkshire Club of the Year and its secretary Jennifer Miller said she was “delighted” the club’s success had been recognised nationally. She said: “We have won it because of everything everyone has done to promote the club. We are getting more members – at the moment we have about 430.

“When a lot of places are closing, we are managing to keep numbers steadily increasing.”

The club received a wood and brass plaque recognising it as this year’s winners and a cheque for £250.

Shipley MP Philip Davies, vice-chairman of the Association of Conservative Clubs, said: “It is appropriate that a local club has won the Sir Marcus Fox award. He was a tremendous supporter of Conservative clubs.”

Mrs Miller said the joint club had received a cheque for £200,000 from Guiseley when it finally closed, which will be used for a full refurbishment of the new club.