Spotlight Features

VisitEngland has today, 9 April, announced the finalists who will go forward to compete for the tourism industry’s annual national Awards for Excellence.

Amongst the finalists are three Lancashire businesses who won at the regional Lancashire Tourism Awards and qualified for the national industry awards.

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) can offer partners in Lancashire, large and small, the opportunity to engage with the enthusiasm and skills of a wide range of university students.

Sue and Ian Rainford, owners of accessible holiday accommodation Brickhouse Farm Cottages in Hambleton are in the running for England’s Tourism Superstar 2024 Award. Public voting open now

After months of hard work 50-54 Market Street in Chorley is finally up and running as Worthington Brougham Furniture’s new furniture showroom.

20 years ago, Maurizio and Cinzia Bocchi opened La Locanda, a cosy restaurant in Gisburn. The aim was to bring an authentic taste of Italy to the Ribble Valley, and they succeeded! This year not only sees the 20th anniversary of the restaurant, but the accolade of “Best Independent Italian Restaurant in the UK” and more. Read on to discover the story

Joey Nolan has teamed up with LANX shoes to offer a fantastic add on to the already stylish shoes the brand has to offer; custom tattoos. Joey will bring any LANX customer’s ideas to life on the leather of the shoes or boots, anything from drawings to messages and wedding dates!

In the latest in our Living and Working in Lancashire series, we catch up with Simon Cordingley, cofounder of The Bee Centre in Chorley, which provides education and experiences around the honey bee for visitors. The Bee Centre also supplies award winning honey to local farm shops, online and for visitors to purchase.

Living and working in Lancashire. Jane Huddleston is a woman of many talents who, despite life’s challenges, has taken inspiration from Lancashire, not just to help overcome her cancer but to see her series of rhyming children’s books come to life.

Kay Johnson MBE, founder of The Larder in Preston, working with local farmers and relevant industry experts, set out to answer the question “Could Lancashire feed itself?” Her mission began with a number of expert speaker-led events, held on farms across the county.

Crafty Vintage has become synonymous with creativity, community, and celebration. Let’s take a closer look at their recent achievements and upcoming ventures that have everyone eagerly marking their calendars.

Marketing Lancashire is pleased to share

#BCORPFEST – Business As a Power For Good: Use your business to improve staff wellbeing, transform society, save the planet and grow your profits.

From Marketing Lancashire Partner, The Wellbeing Farm

Marketing Lancashire invited partners to join them at Lancaster University for a special Marketing Lancashire Partners’ Meeting highlighting accessibility and sustainability, which took place on Wednesday 26 April.

Rachel McQueen, Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire, comments on the Governments Tourism Recovery Update issued in March 2023; revisiting the commitments it made in the 2021 Tourism Recovery Plan post the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Lancashire Life Food and Drink Awards are back this year, celebrating the best of the county’s hospitality industry – and it’s now time to enter or nominate.

Andrea Challis, the Chair of the Board of Marketing Lancashire, said in her speech at the Lancashire Tourism Awards that ‘working together we’re stronger and achieve more’ – the annual celebration of Lancashire’s tourism and hospitality sector couldn’t happen without genuine partnerships.

Gibbon Bridge Hotel & Restaurant in Chipping is delighted to announce it is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary on 28^th November 2022.

Marketing Lancashire has launched a new campaign ‘Make our Lancashire Yours’ to illustrate the rich tapestry of the county with its compelling contrast of country, coastline and cities complemented by its fabulous food and local delicacies.

Lancashire has submitted a bold bid to central government for a new investment zone which has the potential to generate tens of thousands of jobs adding billions of pounds to the value of the economy.

It’s ‘cheers’ to team days at the award-winning Brindle Distillery.  Now offering unique, entertaining and fascinating corporate days at their award-winning distillery. As they mark their fifth anniversary.

Two young people in Lancashire are among the 25 winners of Common Purpose’s first Global 25Under25 Awards, joining their peers from countries around the world including the US, Singapore, the Philippines and Germany.

The finalists have done all they can and now await the announcement of the winners at Lancashire’s only county-wide tourism and hospitality awards in February 2022.

Lancaster-based digital agency Novi Digital has launched an innovative plan to help its staff work in the best way that suits their personality and personal circumstances in the post-Covid environment.

The newly refurbished Whitaker Museum has been celebrating high visitor numbers after its reopening in July 2021.

BAE Systems and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) collaborate to develop the ‘Morecambe Bay Hood’ – a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) for NHS staff

In May this year engineering and fabrication specialists WEC Group announced a major Apprenticeship recruitment drive at their newly built Engineering & Welding Academy in Blackburn, Lancashire

You will have heard of camping and glamping but have you heard of champing?  That’s camping in a church and it has grown in popularity over the pandemic, as some holidaymakers search for more unusual experiences for their UK short breaks.

Wild swimming or open water swimming has really caught on in recent times, with the physical and mental health benefits extolled by those who venture into our waters – in all weathers.  Now two pals from Lancaster have turned their pastime into a business.

When Simon Barnes, Director of Bashall Barn returned home with his family, little did he think that 20 years after establishing Bashall Barn as a food visitor centre, that the business would now be a thriving wedding venue. We hand over the Spotlight in this English Tourism Week to Simon , who tells his story.

In response to this past year, award-winning Chef and Restaurateur Breda Murphy, has launched a nationwide, restaurant-quality, frozen ready meal delivery service.

Brindle distillery has proudly carried the ‘Lancashire’ brand since opening their doors  in 2018,  but has now realised a dream and created new bottles that proudly display their provenance.

Burnley-based VEKA plc’s Marketing Director, Dawn Stockell explains how the company is repositioning the business and helping to create a new global message bringing together the whole VEKA Group family.

Just 50 days into his new role as Managing Director of VEKA plc, Neil Evans explains how the company has started the year with record breaking results.

A Lancaster-based company providing medical cleaning services and products is helping to fight the Covid-19 pandemic after innovating with the help of Lancashire County Council funding.

Alexandra Davies works at Wild Discovery at Ribby Hall Village. She has just completed the Myerscough College Leading Lancashire course and shares some of her thoughts on the experience.

The Leading Lancashire Project at Myerscough College is FREE to qualifying SMEs and has been developed to address the needs of the Visitor Economy within Lancashire.

2020 – Marketing Lancashire has never been prouder to work in, and for, this incredible county

A surge in people spending on home improvements during the lockdown months has resulted in a massive growth in business sales for one Blackpool-based specialist kitchen company

An external development company which provides art services to the games industry worldwide, has received funding from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance

Specialist prefabricated bathroom supplier OEP Building Services has received a £400,000 NPIF loan backed by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme (CBILS)

During the prolonged period of lockdown Lancaster-based Ludus Dance, used the time to refocus their practice and  arrived at the realisation that their model of working was ideal for outdoor, moveable, digital and mobile dance.

Lancashire employers are invited to register with the site to see the sorts of options to support young people in their career planning.

A series of new contract wins has seen Blackburn-based eBusiness UK’s sales jump more than 50% over the same period last year.

2020 is the 15th anniversary year of Blackburn-based Vision Support Services; a world-leading textile company, sourcing and distributing textiles to key players within the global hospitality, retail and ecommerce markets.

Like so many innovative Lancastrians, when the Covid-19 lockdown hit, Liam’s creativity kicked in and a new platform to help fellow creatives, teachers, artists and performers was the result.

The pandemic has led to redundancy for many. Experienced marketeer Sarah found herself in that position, refocused her skills and now aims to help the county’s SMEs to grow.

UK Energy Watch Group Ltd is an Energy Efficiency Consultancy based in St Annes, Lancashire, that’s come through challenging times by being flexible and adapting to new ways of working.

Messages of support in our towns and cities are a colourful reminder to keep safe and give thanks for NHS.

Marketing Lancashire set out to measure the post-lockdown business environment across Lancashire’s visitor economy and to understand how best to support businesses as we move forward. A summary of key findings is now available along with a copy of the the full report.

Lancashire based marketing agency, ICG, is celebrating award-success that acknowledges their client support throughout the pandemic.

Read Marketing Lancashire’s full submission to the DCMS Select Committee on the impact of COVID-19 on tourism

Marketing Lancashire’s Visitor Survey offers insight into consumer confidence and travel plans.

At first devastated, when it had to close at the start of the crisis, The Cartford Inn, buoyed by their loyal customers, has reinvented operations and found more fans during lockdown.

Much-needed hand sanitiser created by UCLan technicians is delivered to a variety of Preston care homes.

Hope Technology prides itself on employing a workforce of cycling enthusiasts passionate about life on two wheels – who turned their skill to producing essential parts for NHS.

EKM, located in Preston and known as the UK’s leading ecommerce platform, has spent the last few months helping small businesses get online in order to tackle coronavirus concerns in Lancashire and beyond.

A Blackburn community clothing company founded by Patrick Grant has created over 100,000 sewn items for the NHS, with Patrick remaining in Lancashire to help fulfil order.

Shaun Bennett, Managing Director of Blackpool-based Links Signs & Graphics, talks about creating essential signs for keeping visitors away and people safe, during the Covid-19 outbreak.

A University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) team has swapped catwalk creations to produce sought-after isolation gowns for Blackpool Victoria Hospital (BVH).

Lancashire upholstery manufacturer, in its 60th year, has helped local sewing group to provide much-needed NHS scrubs.

Calling all Lancashire bottle/container manufacturers can you help Anthony Dalnas and the team at Black Powder Gin?

Teams across the county are now producing face shields, with supplies being delivered every day, directly to frontline medical staff around the UK.

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses delivers a Taste of Lancashire to customers across the North West, with new artisan food delivery service.

Read our guest interview from Creative England speaking to location manager Matt Green

Integrity, passion and quality ingredients are at the heart of what Goosnargh Gin do. Visitors can now enjoy foraging and distilling days in the hands of expert gin-makers Rachel and Richard Trenchard.

One of Lancaster’s favourite restaurants, Quite Simply French, now offers 4 luxury rooms to make your gourmet break in this historic city – simply unforgettable.

Moor Hall is the restaurant name on everyone’s lips. We speak to its chef patron Mark Birchall

With John Lewis now on the books, Calyx Drinks founder Raphael Ogunrinde is drinking in the success at his booming Burnley business.

Farm diversification might be mainstream today. But the pioneering family behind Mytton Fold Hotel and Golf Club lead the field decades ago