Lancashire scoops top awards at regional tourism ‘Oscars’
Lancashire scoops top awards at regional tourism ‘Oscars’
Three of our top tourism businesses were named the best in the Northwest at the fifth annual England’s Northwest Tourism Awards last night (Wednesday October 22).
Organised by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the high-profile event was hosted by interior designer and television personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall.
The Beach House in Blackpool was named Self Catering Holiday of the Year. The judges called it simply stunning; with its high quality finish the Beach House challenges perceptions of Blackpool and is setting a new standard of excellence in the resort.
Innovative and ambitious, Cleveleys New Wave was the winner of the Public Space Award while Gary Henshall of Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool picked up the trophy for Excellence in Customer Service.
Number One South Beach narrowly missed out in the bed and breakfast category but impressed the judges so much that they were awarded a commendation for exceptional quality, comfort and the warmest of welcomes. Fleetwood TIC was also highly commended by the judges in the Tourist Information Centre category.
The England’s Northwest Tourism Awards recognise excellence within the tourism industry and reward both group and individual achievement over the past year. In addition to receiving the prestigious title and trophy, many of the winners now have the opportunity to represent the Northwest in the national awards, organised by VisitBritain in April 2009.
Felicity Goodey, Chair of Tourism England’s Northwest said:
“The Northwest Tourism Awards have set a very high benchmark for the industry over the past few years, with many of our winners going on to triumph at the national awards. We know that we have some of the UK’s best tourism businesses here in the region and these awards recognise and reward the leaders in what is a highly competitive industry.
Full list of entrants and winners for the England’s Northwest Tourism Awards follows:
Large Hotel of the Year
Marriott Worsley Park Hotel and Country Club, Manchester (Winner)
Cottons Hotel and Spa, Knutsford
Macdonald Old England Hotel and Spa, Windermere
Big Blue Hotel, Blackpool
Marriott Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Small Hotel of the Year
White House Manor, near Macclesfield (Winner)
Appleby Manor, Appleby
The Shireburn Arms Hotel, Clitheroe
Bed and Breakfast of the Year
Augill Castle, Kirkby Stephen (Winner)
Number One South Beach, South Beach, Blackpool (Highly Commended)
Moss Lodge, Rochdale
42 Caldy Road, West Kirby
Sand Hollow Farm, Burwardsley
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Manchester Art Gallery (Winner)
Ness Botanic Gardens, Neston
South Lakes Wild Animal Park, Dalton in Furness
Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
The Quaker Tapestry Exhibition, Kendal (Winner)
Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre, Cotebrook
Farmer Ted’s Farm Park, Ormskirk
Smithills Hall, Bolton
Mersey Ferries Manchester Ship Canal Cruises
Self Catering Holiday of the Year
The Beach House, Blackpool (Winner)
Staying Cool, Manchester (Highly Commended)
Premier Apartments, Liverpool
Mellow Brook Cottage at Harrop Fold Farm, Macclesfield
The Lodge Holiday Cottage, Hayton
Holiday Park of the Year
Park Cliffe Camping and Caravan Park, Windermere (Winner)
Newton Hall Holiday Park, Blackpool
Manor Wood Country Caravan Park, Coddington
Tourism Website of the Year
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester (Winner)
English in Chester
Windermere Lodge
Ribby Hall Village
Acorn Farm, Knowsley
Excellence in Business Tourism
The Rheged Centre, Penrith (Winner)
Park Royal Hotel, Warrington (Highly Commended)
Barton Grange Hotel, Preston
Manchester United
The Conference Centre at LACE, Liverpool
Taste of England’s Northwest
Roses Tea Room, Heswall (Winner)
The Hollies Farm Shop, Cheshire (Highly Commended)
The Village Bakery Melmerby
Northcote Manor, Langho
Isinglass Restaurant, Urmston
Tourism Experience of the Year
Manchester International Festival (Winner)
Tate Liverpool – Turner Prize (Highly Commended)
Shacklabank Free Range Walking, Sedbergh (Highly Commended)
Byways Breaks, Cheshire
Downy Duckling Experience, WWT Martin Mere
Lancashire Food festival, Accrington
Cholmondeley Fireworks Concert and Garden Party
Excellence in Customer Service
Gary Henshall – Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool (Winner)
Julie Lyons – De Vere Carden Park Hotel, Chester
Daniel Fairweather, Windermere Marina Village
Pam Simpson – World of Glass, St Helens
Madge Butler – Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport
Public Space Award
Cleveleys New Wave (Winner)
West End Gardens Morecambe
Gateway to The Open Championship, Wirral
Focal Point – St Helens Town Centre
Windermere Enhancement Scheme
Sustainable Tourism Award
Palace Hotel, Manchester (Winner)
Cote How Organic Guest House, Rydal (Highly Commended)
RSPB Leighton Moss Nature Reserve, Silverdale
Carden Park Hotel, Chester
Tourism for All Award
The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven (Winner)
The Trafford Centre, Manchester (Highly Commended)
Wyre Estuary Country Park
The National Wildflower Centre, Knowsley
Tourist Information Centre of the Year
Congleton TIC (Winner)
Fleetwood TIC (Highly Commended)
Manchester Visitor Centre
St.Helens TIC
Keswick TIC
Travel Journalist of the Year
Kevin Sampson (Winner)
Nigel Tisdall (Highly Commended)
Stephen McClarence
David Atkinson
Kate Simon
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in England’s Northwest
John Dunning, Westmorland Ltd
Visitor Impact Award
Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008