Blackpool to host national tourist awards

Blackpool’s Winter Gardens will host the national VisitEngland tourism awards this year, it has been announced.

Tourist figures from across the country will descend on the resort for the Awards for Excellence 2016 ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday 8 March.

With sixteen categories to compete for, hundreds of nominees are set to visit the UK’s favourite seaside resort, vying to take home a variety of top tourism gongs.

Working in collaboration with destinations and businesses throughout England, the Awards pay tribute to businesses and individuals who champion best practice and exhibit excellence in customer service.

With 16 categories, ranging from Access for All to Visitor Information Provider of the Year and 2016’s debut Dog Friendly Business of the Year Award, applications were received from a variety of businesses including hotels, B&Bs, glamping operators, restaurants, food and drink producers, pubs, museums, festivals, conference centres and even motorway service areas.

And all the nominees are sure to get a friendly Blackpool welcome, according to Blackpool Council’s Deputy Leader.

Cllr Gillian Campbell, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be hosting this year’s VisitEngland awards.

“Not only does it bring more business tourists in to the resort, who will spend money in our local hotels and restaurants, but it also gives us a great platform to showcase the many things that Blackpool has to offer.

“For the last few years we’ve been banging the drum to tell people that Blackpool is back, and this is a great chance to show the huge amount of regeneration that’s taken place to some of the country’s top tourism leaders.”

Sally Balcombe, CEO of VisitBritain and VisitEngland said “We are very excited to be bringing the 2016 Awards for Excellence to Blackpool’s wonderful Winter Gardens. The Awards finalists exemplify outstanding tourism talent and distinguished businesses throughout England,” . “The Awards highlight exceptional commitment to quality care, service and English tourism as a whole. The Awards not only honour the great and the good in tourism and hospitality, but raise the profile of England and celebrate the importance of the industry’s contribution to local and national economies.”

Judged by industry leaders, all finalists will receive either a Gold, Silver, Bronze or Highly Commended Award.

The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence winners will be announced at an Awards ceremony, which is being held for the very first time this year during English Tourism Week. The Awards ceremony will also include the official presentation of the VisitEngland and Daily Mirror’s Tourism Superstar 2016 Award for the nation’s publically voted unsung tourism hero.

To find out more and book tickets visit www.visitenglandawards.org

2016 Finalists
Below are the finalists in each category for this year’s awards (listed alphabetically)

Access for All (sponsored by Barclays www.barclays.com)

Attenborough Arts Centre
University of Leicester, Leicester
http://www2.le.ac.uk/hosted/attenborougharts

Calvert Trust Exmoor
Barnstable, Devon
http://www.calvert-trust.org.uk/exmoor/exmoor

Hampton Court Palace
London
http://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/

Hoe Grange Holidays
Matlock, Derbyshire
http://www.hoegrangeholidays.co.uk/

The Roman Baths
Bath
http://www.romanbaths.co.uk

Bed & Breakfast/ Guest Accommodation (sponsored by Quality in Tourism www.qualityintourism.com) 

Low Mill Guesthouse
Leyburn, North Yorkshire
http://www.lowmillguesthouse.co.uk/

Molland Manor House
Sandwich, Kent
http://www.mollandhouse.co.uk/

Pebble House
Mevagissey, Cornwall
http://www.pebblehousecornwall.co.uk/

St Cuthbert's House
Seahouses, Northumberland
http://www.stcuthbertshouse.com/

Trevose Harbour House
St Ives, Cornwall
http://trevosehouse.co.uk/

Business Tourism
Crewe Hall
Crewe, Cheshire
http://www.qhotels.co.uk/our-locations/crewe-hall/

Dartington Hall
Totnes, Devon
https://www.dartington.org/our-venue/conferences/

Highbullen Hotel Golf & Country Club
Umberleigh, Devon
http://www.highbullen.co.uk/

Seaham Hall Hotel & Spa
Nr Seaham, County Durham
http://www.seaham-hall.co.uk/

Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa and Country Lodges
Colchester, Essex
http://www.stokebynayland.com/

Dog Friendly Business (sponsored by Pets Pyjamas http://www.petspyjamas.com)

Higher Wiscombe
Colyton, Devon
http://higherwiscombe.com/

Old Swan & Minster Mill
Lovell, Oxfordshire
http://www.oldswanandminstermill.com

Poston Mill Park
Peterchurch, Golden Valley, Hertfordshire
http://www.postonmill.co.uk/

Sun Inn
Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
http://www.sun-inn.info

Talbot Hotel
Malton, North Yorkshire
http://www.talbotmalton.co.uk

Holiday Park/ Holiday Village

Castlerigg Hall Caravan & Camping Park
Keswick, Cumbria
www.castlerigg.co.uk

Darwin Forest Country Park
Matlock, Derbyshire
www.darwinforest.co.uk

Padstow Touring Park
Padstow, Cornwall
www.padstowtouringpark.co.uk

Poston Mill Park
Peterchurch, Golden Valley, Hertfordshire
http://www.postonmill.co.uk/
 
Woodovis Park
Tavistock, Devon
www.woodovis.com

Large Hotel

Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa
New Forest, Hampshire
http://www.chewtonglen.com/

Peckforton Castle Hotel
Tarporley, Cheshire
http://www.peckfortoncastle.co.uk/

Rockliffe Hall
Darlington, County Durham
https://www.rockliffehall.com/

Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa
Salcombe, Devon
http://www.salcombe-harbour-hotel.co.uk/

South Lodge
Horsham, West Sussex
http://www.southlodgehotel.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/the_hotel.aspx

Large Visitor Attraction

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
Beamish, County Durham
www.beamish.org.uk

Brunel's ss Great Britain
Great Western Dockyard, Bristol
www.ssgreatbritain.org

Chester Zoo
Upton-by-Chester, Chester
www.chesterzoo.org

Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury, Wiltshire
www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

The Whitworth
The University of Manchester, Manchester
www.manchester.ac.uk/whitworth

Self Catering Holiday Provider (sponsored by Cottages.com www.cottages.com)

The Dandelion Hideaway
Nuneaton, Leicestershire
http://www.thedandelionhideaway.co.uk/

The Dovecote Barns York
Kelfield, York
http://www.dovecotebarnsyork.co.uk/

Treworgey Cottages
Looe, Cornwall
https://www.cornishdreamcottages.co.uk/

Whalesborough Cottages & Spa
Bude, Cornwall
http://www.whalesborough.co.uk/

Wolds Edge Holiday Lodges
Bishop Wilton, York
http://woldsedge.co.uk/

Small Hotel

Cross Lane House
Minehead, Somerset
www.crosslanehouse.com

Hell Bay Hotel
Bryher, Isles of Scilly
http://www.hellbay.co.uk/

Kentisbury Grange
Barnstable, Devon
www.kentisburygrange.com

Tudor Farmhouse
Clearwell, Gloucestershire
www.tudorfarmhousehotel.co.uk

Yorebridge House
Bainbridge, North Yorkshire
www.yorebridgehouse.co.uk

Small Visitor Attraction

Bombay Sapphire Distillery
Whitechurch, Hampshire
www.distillery.bombaysapphire.com

Emma Bridgewater Factory and Shop
Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
http://emmabridgewaterfactory.co.uk/

The Crystal
Royal Victoria Docks, London
https://www.thecrystal.org/

Wheal Martyn
St. Austell, Cornwall
www.wheal-martyn.com

Yorkshire Trike Tours
Horsforth, Leeds
www.yorkshiretriketours.co.uk

Sustainable Tourism

Browsholme Hall and Tithe Barn
Clitheroe, Lancashire
http://www.browsholme.co.uk/
Colton House
Nr Rugley, Staffordshire
http://www.coltonhouse.com/

Hoe Grange Holidays
Matlock, Derbyshire
http://www.hoegrangeholidays.co.uk/

Railholiday
Saltash, Cornwall
http://www.railholiday.co.uk/index.htm

St Cuthbert's House
Seahouses, Northumberland
http://www.stcuthbertshouse.com/

Taste of England

Eckington Manor
Eckington, Worcestershire
http://www.eckingtonmanor.co.uk/

La Locanda Ristorante Italiano
Clitheroe, Lancashire
www.lalocanda.co.uk

Martineau Guest House
Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear
http://www.martineau-house.co.uk/

The Dining Room
Rock, Cornwall
www.thediningroomrock.co.uk

The Guardhouse Café
Brixham, Devon
http://www.guardhousecafe.com/

Tourism Event

Durham University – Magna Carta Exhibition
Durham
https://www.dur.ac.uk/

IWM North – From Street to Trench Exhibition
Trafford Park, Manchester
http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-north

Liverpool City Council – Memories of August 1914
Liverpool
https://www.liverpool.gov.uk/

Visit Eastbourne – Airbourne
Eastbourne
http://www.visiteastbourne.com/

York Racecourse – Juddmonte International
York
https://www.yorkracecourse.co.uk/

Tourism Experience

Canterbury Historic River Tours
Canterbury, Kent
http://www.canterburyrivertours.co.uk/

King Richard III Partnership
Leicester
http://www.kriii.com/

Livingstone Lodge Overnight Safari Experience
Ashford, Kent
http://www.aspinallfoundation.org/livingstone-lodge

Morecambe Bay Partnership – Bay Cycle Way
Morecambe, Lancashire
http://www.morecambebay.org.uk/bay-cycle-way

River Cottage HQ
Axminster, Devon
https://www.rivercottage.net/

Tourism Pub (sponsored by Free to Book http://www.freetobook.com)

The Cartford Inn
Preston, Lancashire
www.thecartfordinn.co.uk

The Fleece Inn
Bretforton, Worcestershire
www.thefleeceinn.co.uk

The Rising Sun
Truro, Cornwall
www.risingsuntruro.co.uk

The Shibden Mill Inn
Halifax, West Yorkshire
http://www.shibdenmillinn.com/

The Swan
Bampton, Devon
http://www.theswan.co/

Visitor Information Provider

Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre
Chesterfield, Derbyshire
http://www.visitchesterfield.info/

Eastbourne Tourist Information Centre
Eastbourne, East Sussex
http://www.visiteastbourne.com/

Gloucester Tourist Information Centre
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
http://www.gloucester.gov.uk/resident/leisure-parks-and-events/tourism/Pages/Tourist-Information-Centre.aspx

Thanet Visitor Information Service
Margate, Kent
http://www.visitthanet.co.uk/

The Welcome People
London
http://www.thewelcomepeople.com/