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Marketing Lancashire today announced the shortlist of top tourism businesses going forward to the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2012/13, the annual regional awards that celebrate the best of Lancashire’s £3.25billion tourism industry.
This year the awards ceremony will take place in Preston Guild Hall, on Thursday 13 September, following the official civic celebrations of the first Preston Guild of the 21st Century and the first since Preston achieved city status. The Preston Guild takes place every 20 years and is the last remaining Guild celebration in England.
Forty seven businesses feature in fifteen categories in the shortlist, which includes the new category of Tourism Pub of The Year. A further announcement regarding the shortlist for the Special Recognition Award, celebrating one of the industry’s unsung heroes will be made shortly.
Tony Openshaw, Marketing Director of Marketing Lancashire commenting on the shortlist said, “The quality of entrants never fails to impress and each year the competition attracts a wider range of businesses, keen to see themselves named amongst Lancashire’s best.
“This is the first step towards the national VisitEngland awards and those who have reached this shortlist, need only look to our triumphant Lancashire winners who stood shoulder to shoulder with the best of England and walked away with Gold awards just a few weeks ago.
“We wish all those on this year’s shortlist the very best of luck in their bid to become Lancashire Tourism Award winners and I’m sure that there are more national award-winners amongst them.”
Winner of Lancashire’s B&B of the year 2011, speaking about winning the Bed & Breakfast of The Year Award at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2012, James Gray of The Ashton boutique B&B in Lancaster said,
“It’s wonderful to be recognised for all the hard work we do and is a great morale boost to the whole team. It also places you in front of the national media and provides new opportunities to promote the business more widely.
“I was very proud to receive both the Lancashire and national award and to be able to add the phrase ‘England’s Best Bed & Breakfast’, to The Ashton website.”
This year’s shortlisted tourism businesses will now be required to complete more detailed applications and undergo further scrutiny with site visits, mystery shopping and interviews over the coming weeks.
THE LANCASHIRE TOURISM AWARDS 2012/13 shortlist:
Bed & Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year
Broadgate Farm B&B, Bleasdale
The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston
Mode, Lytham St Annes
Number One St Luke’s, Blackpool
Small Hotel of the Year
Bartle Hall Hotel, Preston
The Millstone at Mellor
Northcote, Langho
Penny Street Bridge, Lancaster
Large Hotel of the Year
Best Western Premier Leyland Hotel
Big Blue Hotel, Blackpool
Dalmeny Hotel, St Annes on Sea
Lancaster House Hotel
Caravan Holiday Park & Holiday Village Awardp>
Carr Royd Parks/Sunset Park, Hambleton
Hackings Caravan Park, Clitheroe
Self Catering Award
Brontё School House, Cowan Bridge
Cleveleymere, Forton
Cross Farm Holiday Cottages, Downholland
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Cobble Hey Farm and Gardens, Garstang
Museum of Lancashire, Preston
Old Holly Farm, Garstang
Samlesbury Hall
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Farmer Ted’s Farm Park, Ormskirk
Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Burscough
Best Visitor Experience of the Year
Nigel Haworth’s Fantastic Food Show, Blackburn
Farmaggedon, Ormskirk
Go Ape! Rivington
Treasure Trails Lancashire
Business Tourism Award
Best Western Premier Leyland Hotel
Browsholme Hall and Tithe Barn, Clitheroe
Northcote at the Rovers, Blackburn
University of Central Lancashire, Preston
Tourism Pub of the Year
The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston
The Highwayman, Burrow
The Millstone at Mellor
Redwell Country Inn and Restaurant, Arkholme
Sustainable Tourism Award
Cobble Hey Farm and Gardens, Garstang
Hackings Caravan Park, Clitheroe
Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green
WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Burscough
Access for All Tourism Award
Cobble Hey Farm and Gardens, Garstang
Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
Visitor Information Provider Award
Blackburn Visitor Centre
Visit Garstang Centre
Lancaster Visitor Information Centre
Morecambe Visitor Information Centre
Taste Lancashire Award
The Cartford Inn, Little Eccleston
The Clog and Billycock, Blackburn
The Millstone at Mellor
Redwell Country Inn and Restaurant, Arkholme
Marketing Campaign of the Year
The Blackpool Tower Eye, launch campaign
Madame Tussauds, Blackpool, launch campaign
The Mall Blackburn, re-development campaign
Museum of Lancashire, Preston, re-opening campaign
Partners supporting the awards include Blackpool & The Fylde College, Total Food Service, UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire) and Workhouse Creative Marketing. A number of partner opportunities are still available. For more information please contact the Partnerships Team on 01772 426 450.
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Media enquiries: Anna Izza, Communications Manager, Marketing Lancashire
01772 426 459 or [email protected]
Notes to Editors
- Marketing Lancashire is the new name for Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board (from 1st April 2012)
Our activities in marketing and communications, commercial membership, `Welcome to Excellence` training and place marketing are all designed to grow the visitor economy and develop the destination as a great place to visit, live and work.
In 2010 the Lancashire attracted 60 million visitors who contributed £3.25 billion to the local economy and helped support 55,227 jobs.
- Winners of the Lancashire & Blackpool Tourism Awards 2011/12 awards can be viewed here Winners of the Visit England Awards for Excellence 2012/12 can be viewed here
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