WINNERS OF VISITENGLAND AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2012 ANNOUNCED!
The English Garden wins Outstanding Contribution Award
23 May 2012. The English Garden has won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012. The coveted accolade was one of 19 presented at a glittering ceremony hosted by the national tourist board at the art-deco Athena in Leicester, on 22 May. These prestigious awards, currently in their 23rd year, promote excellence in England’s tourism industry and celebrate the very best the country has to offer.
The English Garden is part of the very fabric of England, bringing pleasure to a huge number of visitors from home and away; in winning this award it joins an exclusive group of English tourism champions. Previous winners include Michael Eavis, the driving force behind Glastonbury, The English Pub, The National Trust and last year’s winner, the Royal Shakespeare Company. Chief Executive of the National Gardens Scheme (NGS), George Plumptre, accepted the trophy on behalf of the Gardens of England, and guests watched a special video message from NGS President and BBC gardening expert, Joe Swift.
VisitEngland’s Chairman, Lady Cobham, commented:
“The English Garden has been seducing visitors for hundreds of years, and we are delighted to be able to recognise the pleasure they bring to so many. Our green-fingered heritage is famous throughout the world, whether it’s the formal works of art by ‘Capability’ Brown and co, or the cosy cottages in villages across the land. The beautiful English garden will always be with us, and will forever be adored by visitors of every age.”
2012 marked the first year the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence have awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award, serving to recognise and celebrate one individual who has quite literally dedicated his life to tourism in England. This year this prestigious award goes to the 11th Duke of Marlborough; custodian, visionary and protector of Blenheim Palace. The birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and a World Heritage site, Blenheim Palace is one of England’s most popular and best loved attractions, and the Duke has devoted the last 40 years to the management and improvement of the estate.
Other awards announced at the ceremony in Leicester included the best bed and breakfast in England, best small hotel, best tourism experience, Taste of England, sustainable tourism award and caravan holiday park of the year. The 34 Gold and Silver winners were selected from a shortlist of 69 finalists, judged by a panel of tourism industry experts including VisitEngland Board Member David Orr and travel broadcaster Alison Rice.
This year’s celebrations also saw the presentation of the inaugural Tourism Superstar Award to Newcastle cab driver, Alan Fidler. As part of English Tourism Week in March, VisitEngland teamed up with the Daily Mirror to find England’s unsung tourism hero – someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make visitors feel extra special and is a real ambassador for the local area. Another victor was journalist Ian Belcher, who won Travel Article of the Year award for piece, “Why go to Venice… When you can go to Birmingham?”, a celebration of all things great in the UK’s second city.
VisitEngland’s Chief Executive, James Berresford, commented:
“The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence represent the highest accolade in English tourism. They champion the very best quality, and continue to help to raise standards across the industry, establishing England’s place as a world-class destination and a thoroughly fantastic place to visit. This year’s awards were the biggest ever, with a record number of almost 400 entrants from across the country. All our finalists are to be warmly congratulated for their success – particularly our Gold Award winners, whose passion and commitment to excellence is outstanding.”
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Notes to Editors.
The judging panel awarded 18Gold Awards, 16 Silver Awards and 13 Bronze Awards. 22 finalists were Highly Commended.
The Gold Winners are:
Access for All Tourism Award
•Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne
•Leicester Theatre Trust, Leicester
Bed & Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year
•Pentillie Castle & Estate, St Mellion, Cornwall
•The Ashton, Lancaster, Lancashire
Best Tourism Event of the Year
•The Tall Ships, Hartlepool
Business Tourism Award
•Cotswold Conference Centre, Worcestershire
Caravan Holiday Park/Holiday Village of the Year
•Gwel an Mor, Cornwall
Large Hotel of the Year
•Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf Spa Resort, County Durham
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
•Beamish Museum, County Durham
Outstanding Customer Service of the Year Award
•Michael Gore, Best Western Premier Leyland Hotel
Self-Catering Holiday Provider of the Year
•Belle Grove, Suffolk
•Compton Pool Farm, Devon
Small Hotel of the Year
•Bath Priory, Bath
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
•East Riddlesden Hall, Yorkshire
Sustainable Tourism Award
•Wheatland Farm, Devon
Taste of England Award
•Fodder, Yorkshire
Tourism Experience of the Year
•Livingston Lodge Port Lympne, Kent
Visitor Information Provider of the Year
•Manchester TIC, Manchester
Full list of VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012 winners:
Access for All Tourism Award
Gold
•Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne
•Leicester Theatre Trust, Leicester
Bronze
•University of Leeds Storm Jameson Court, Leeds
Highly Commended
•Abbey Guest House, Oxon
•The Beacon, Cumbria
•Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
Bed & Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year
Gold
•Pentillie Castle & Estate, St Mellion, Cornwall
•The Ashton, Lancaster, Lancashire
Bronze
•Dowfold House B&B, County Durham
Highly Commended
•Meadowcroft Barn B&B, Bolton, Gtr Manchester
•Roundhouse Barn Holidays, Cornwall
Best Tourism Event of the Year
Gold
•The Tall Ships, Hartlepool
Silver
•Larkin with Toads, Yorkshire
Bronze
•Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Bristol
Highly Commended
•Aintree John Smiths Grand National, Liverpool, Merseyside
•City Events – Mint Polo in the Park, London
Business Tourism Award
Gold
•Cotswold Conference Centre, Worcestershire
Silver
•The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
Bronze
•Ribby Hall Business & Banqueting Centre, Preston, Lancashire
•Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Yorkshire
Caravan Holiday Park/Holiday Village of the Year
Gold
•Gwel an Mor, Cornwall
Silver
•Seafield Caravan Park, Northumberland
Bronze
•Pinelodge Holidays/Darwin Forest, Derbyshire
Highly Commended
•Parkcliffe Caravan & Camping Estate, Cumbria
•Sunset Park, Hambleton, Lancashire
Large Hotel of the Year
Gold
•Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf Spa Resort, County Durham
Silver
•Rudding Park, Yorkshire
Bronze
•Bovey Castle, Devon
•Trout Hotel, Cumbria
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Gold
•Beamish Museum, County Durham
Silver
•Muncaster Castle, Cumbria
Bronze
•BeWILDerwood, Norfolk
Highly Commended
•The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent
•Trentham Estate, Staffordshire
Outstanding Customer Service of the Year Award
Gold
•Michael Gore, Best Western Premier Leyland Hotel
Silver
•David Hall ‘Welsh Dave’, Ullswater Steamers
Highly Commended
•Rebecca & David Palmer-Bunting, Robin Hood Camping & Caravan Park
•Fred Sirieix Team, Galvin at Windows, London
•William Salve, MacDonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club, Northumberland
Self-Catering Holiday Provider of the Year
Gold
•Belle Grove, Suffolk
•Compton Pool Farm, Devon
Silver
•Roundhouse Barn Holidays, Cornwall
Bronze
•Eaton Manor, Shropshire
Small Hotel of the Year
Gold
•Bath Priory, Bath
Highly Commended
•Swinton Park, Yorkshire
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Gold
•East Riddlesden Hall, Yorkshire
Silver
•Lakeland Climbing Centre, Cumbria
•Old Holly Farm, Garstang, Lancashire
Highly Commended
•Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre & Country Park, Leicestershire
Sustainable Tourism Award
Gold
•Wheatland Farm, Devon
Silver
•Hoe Grange Holidays, Peak District, Derbyshire
•Wheeldon Trees Farm Holiday Cottages, Earl Sterndale, Peak District, Derbyshire
Highly Commended
•Kelling Heath Holiday Park, Norfolk
•Ullswater Steamers, Cumbria
Taste of England Award
Gold
•Fodder, Yorkshire
Silver
•Fischers at Baslow Hall, Derbyshire
•George and Dragon, Cumbria
Highly Commended
•British Larder, Suffolk
•Opus One Restaurant & Bar, Manchester
Tourism Experience of the Year
Gold
•Livingston Lodge Port Lympne, Kent
Silver
•Via Ferrata, Honister Slate Mine, Cumbria
Bronze
•Severn Valley Railway, Worcestershire
•Adventure Forest Go Ape, Cheshire
•Cannon Hall Farm, Yorkshire
Visitor Information Provider of the Year
Gold
•Manchester TIC, Manchester
Silver
•Bodmin Visitor Information Centre, Cornwall
•Greenwich TIC, London
Bronze
•Chesterfield TIC, Derbyshire
•Harrogate TIC, Yorkshire
Outstanding Contribution Award
•The English Garden
Lifetime Achievement Award
•His Grace, 11th Duke of Marlborough
Tourism Superstar Award
Winner
•Alan Fidler, Newcastle
Highly Commended
•David Heatherington, Weardale, Co. Durham
•Adrian Farmer, Belper, Derbyshire
Travel Article of the Year Award
•Ian Belcher
For more information on the awards, please visit: www.visitenglandawards.org
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Long, Head of Corporate Communications, 020 7578 1452, Sarah.Long@visitengland.org
Emma White, Corporate Communications Executive, 020 7578 1471, EmmaLucy.White@visitengland.org
About VisitEngland
• VisitEngland is the country’s national tourist board. We work in partnership with the industry to develop the visitor experience across England, plan national tourism strategy, grow the value of tourism in England and provide advocacy for the industry and our visitors
• Our work is underpinned by robust research and customer insights. You can access the latest in-depth market intelligence and statistics on www.visitengland.org/insight-statistics
About the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012
• The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012 celebrate the best of English tourism. They promote healthy industry competition and high standards, helping to ensure England's place as a world-class destination. www.enjoyengland.com/excellence
• The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012 are supported by a range of companies including travel trade publication TravelGBI and Kent vineyard, Chapel Down. Several of the 17 award categories are also supported by individual sponsors, including the Access For All Tourism Award (DisabledGo), Welcome to Excellence (Outstanding Customer Service Award), Cottages4you (Self Catering Holiday of the Year), freetobook (Small Hotel of the Year), Green Tourism (Sustainable Tourism Award), Quality in Tourism (Large Hotel of the Year) and CaterBook (B&B/Guest Accommodation of the Year).
• The 17 categories for the 2012 awards include: Access for All Tourism Award, Bed & Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year, Best Tourism Experience, Business Tourism Award, Caravan Holiday Park, Large Hotel (over 35 bedrooms), Large Visitor Attraction (over 100,000 visitors), Outstanding Customer Service, Self-Catering Holiday of the Year, Small Hotel of the Year (under 50 Bedrooms), Small Visitor Attraction (under 50,000), Sustainable Tourism Award, Taste of England Award, Best Tourism Event, Tourist Information Service, Tourism SuperStar, and Travel Article of the Year.
• As well as the 17 categories is the additional award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism to be announced on the night. Previous winners of this award have included The Great English Pub, Michael Eavis CBE, HM The Queen, the Harry Potter films, Sir Cameron Mackintosh and in 2007, Sir Paul McCartney, Liverpool and The National Trust.