Lancashire’s Biggest Win at Northwest Awards

Winners celebrate at England’s Northwest Tourism Awards

The tourism industry across the region is celebrating today (Thursday 30^th September), after the seventh annual England’s Northwest Tourism Awards took place in Manchester last night.

Organised by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the 2010 England’s Northwest Tourism Awards once again celebrated the best of the region’s tourism sector, providing a showcase for industry best-practice and top-quality tourism businesses in Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region and Cheshire.

Host for the evening Felicity Goodey, Chair of Tourism in England’s Northwest was also honored with a special recognition prize, awarded by NWDA Chair, Robert Hough.

A total of 16 accolades were presented to winners from across the region. In addition to receiving a prestigious title, regional winners will also have the opportunity to represent the Northwest in the national awards, organised by VisitEngland in 2011.

The winners are:

• Bed & Breakfast  Number 43, Arnside, Cumbria

• Holiday Park  Woodclose Park, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria

• Self Catering  The Old Shippon at Mellor, Lancashire

• Taste of England’s Northwest  The Cottage in the Wood, Keswick, Cumbria

• Tourism for All  Chill Factore, Trafford, Manchester

• Tourist Information Centre  Morecambe Visitor Information Centre, Lancashire

• Tourism Experience  Cumbrian Heavy Horses, Millom, Cumbria

• Small Visitor Attraction  Chester Heritage Tours, Chester, Cheshire

• Large Visitor Attraction  Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester

• Excellence in Customer Service  Sandcastle Waterpark Team, Blackpool, Lancashire

• Sustainable Tourism Award  Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, Clitheroe, Lancashire

• Public Space Award  Dream, St Helens, Liverpool City Region

• Tourism Event  Manchester International Festival, Manchester

• Business Tourism  Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester

• Small Hotel  Overwater Hall, near Keswick, Cumbria

• Large Hotel  The Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Manchester

Six judges’ commendations were also handed out on the night, in recognition of the exceptionally high standards in a number of the award categories. (See Notes to Editors)

Mike Wilkinson, Chief Executive, Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board said:

‘We are very proud of all our finalists and especially our four winners whose many achievements are recognised on this Northwest stage.  We are particularly pleased by the categories that have won and who join us now, in celebrating  our best ever result at the Regional Tourism Awards’

‘Here at the Tourist Board we have invested greatly in customer service with our extremely successful Welcome to Blackpool training programme and we are leading the way in developing sustainable tourism through the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GBTS).  We now hope that we can replicate the success we had last year as our 2010 winners are considered for next year’s Enjoy England for Excellence Tourism Awards.’ 

Felicity Goodey, Chair of Tourism England’s Northwest, said:

“It just gets better and better.  Each year we celebrate some of the best of our many outstanding businesses which, together, have established the Northwest as one of the most popular visitor destinations in the country. We are used to them going on to win national awards and I have every confidence that last night’s winners will be the ones to beat at the next National finals. The region owes them a big ‘thankyou’.  Its their vision backed up by hard work, training and investment which have built tourism into one of this region’s most important industries.”

Nick Brooks-Sykes, Director of Tourism at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) added:

“Tonight’s event has been very special and all our winners should be very proud of their achievements. Tourism in England’s Northwest is marked by a quality and passion that will continue in the future, making the region a destination of choice.

“Congratulations also to Felicity Goodey, who was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award. Felicity’s dedication and leadership has transformed the region’s visitor economy into a multi-billion pound industry, marked by world-class destinations that continue to draw in thousands of visitors every year.”

— Ends —

Notes to Editors

The majority of finalists in the England’s Northwest Tourism Awards are winners from each of the sub-regional tourism awards.

The Public Space Award shortlist is formed on a nomination and assessment basis and Tourist Information Centre via extensive mystery shopping and assessment.

Images from the Awards ceremony will be available from 11am on Thursday 30^th September 2010.

Full list of entrants and winners for the England’s Northwest Tourism Awards follows:

Bed & Breakfast

Number One, South Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire 

Harrop Fold Farm, Cheshire  

Cherry Clough Farmhouse Accommodation, Manchester (Highly Commended)  

Number 43, Cumbria  

Knowsley Hall, Liverpool City Region

Holiday Park

Newton Hall Holiday Centre, Lancashire  

Skelwith Fold Caravan Park, Cumbria (Highly Commended)

Woodclose Park, Cumbria  

Manor Wood Country Caravan Park, Cheshire  

Self Catering

The Old Shippon at Mellor, Lancashire  

The Courtyard Helsby, Cheshire  

The Atrium by Bridgestreet Worldwide, Manchester

Tottergill Farm Cottages, Cumbria  

Herons Well, Liverpool City Region

Taste of England’s Northwest

The Highwayman, Lancashire  

1539 Restaurant and Bar, Cheshire  

The River Bar and Restaurant at the Lowry Hotel, Manchester  

The Cottage in the Wood, Cumbria  

60 Hope Street, Liverpool City Region

Tourism for All

Mytton Fold Hotel and Golf Complex, Lancashire  

Anderton Boat Lift, Cheshire 

Chill Factore, Manchester  

The Beacon, Whitehaven, Cumbria  

Tourist Information Centre

Morecambe Visitor Information Centre, Lancashire  

Preston Tourist Information Centre, Lancashire  

Rochdale Tourist Information Centre, Manchester  

Liverpool John Lennon Airport Information Desk, Liverpool City Region

Kendal Tourist Information Centre, Cumbria

Appleby Tourist Information Centre, Cumbria (Highly Commended)  

Tourism Experience

Go Ape! Rivington, Lancashire  

Shark Dives at Blue Planet Aquarium, Cheshire (Highly Commended)

Angels of Anarchy – Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester  

Cumbrian Heavy Horses, Cumbria

Liverpool ONE, Liverpool City Region  

Small Visitor Attraction

Clitheroe Castle and Museum, Lancashire  

Chester Heritage Tours, Cheshire

Stockport Airraid Shelters, Manchester  

The Lake District Coast Aquarium, Cumbria

Acorn Farm, Liverpool City Region

Large Visitor Attraction

Blackpool Zoo, Lancashire  

Tatton Park, Cheshire

Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester  

The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, Bowness on Windermere Cumbria 

The Beatles Story, Liverpool City Region (Highly Commended)

Excellence in Customer Service

Sandcastle Waterpark Team, Lancashire 

James Fosbrook, The Alvanley Arms Inn, Cheshire (Highly Commended)

Roland Hoffman, The Lowry Hotel, Manchester  

Alan Gillon – The Beacon, Whitehaven, Cumbria  

Stuart Cockburn, Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa, Liverpool City Region

Sustainable Tourism Award

Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, Lancashire  

Chester Zoo, Cheshire  

Manchester International Festival, Manchester  

Elder Grove, Cumbria  

Jurys Inn Liverpool, Liverpool City Region

Public Space Award

Workington Town Centre, Cumbria  

Lime Street Gateway, Liverpool City Region

Towneley Heritage Parkland Restoration, Lancashire  

Dream, Liverpool City Region

Chester Renaissance, Cheshire  

Tourism Event

1940’s Wartime Weekend, East Lancashire Railway, Lancashire  

Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, Cheshire

Manchester International Festival, Manchester  

Great North Swim, Cumbria  

A Winter’s Trail, Liverpool City Region  

Business Tourism

Stanley House Hotel, Lancashire  

Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, Cheshire  

Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester 

North Lakes Hotel, Cumbria  

Conference Centre at LACE, Liverpool City Region

Small Hotel

The Midland Hotel, Lancashire  

The Alexandra Court Hotel and Restaurant, Cheshire  

Overwater Hall, Cumbria  

Velvet Hotel, Manchester  

Large Hotel

Best Western Premier Leyland Hotel, Lancashire  

Best Western Premier Queen Hotel, Cheshire  

The Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Manchester  

Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel and Spa, Cumbria  

Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool City Region

For further information please contact Shelley Tattersall on 01925 400256 or mobile 07764 239856 or [email protected]

For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925 400259.

For further information about Lancashire and Blackpool winners contact Anna Izza, LBTB Communications Executive Tel: 01257 226614 or [email protected]

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) works to deliver economic success in England’s Northwest by building the competitiveness of its businesses, people and places. Utilising our technical expertise and strategic influence, we help the region’s 250,000+ businesses to develop and grow, as well as supporting international trade and encouraging inward investment.  For further information please visit www.nwda.co.uk