Lancashire finalists in VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024

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.

Lancashire’s finalists are: La Locanda, Gisburn, Taste Of England Award finalist;  Secret Garden Glamping, Skelmersdale, Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year; Winter Gardens, Blackpool, Business Events Venue of the Year.

The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence champion the very best of England’s tourism industry celebrating quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.

The 48 finalists, announced following a rigorous judging process by handpicked tourism industry experts, now go on to compete in 16 core categories at the national awards, with the Caravan and Motorhome Club announced as headline sponsor.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:

“I am always impressed by the tourism businesses who make it onto our list of finalists with their innovative approaches to ensuring people have the most amazing experiences whilst delivering outstanding customer service across England.  I congratulate all the finalists and wish them the very best of luck.”

The awards’ categories range from ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year’ and ‘Small Hotel of the Year’ to ‘New Tourism Business of the Year’ and ‘Pub of the Year’.

Applications to the awards were put forward for judging from businesses including hotels, self-catering accommodation providers, B&Bs, glamping operators, visitor attractions, restaurants, pubs and museums.

In addition to the 16 core categories, four special awards are also being presented including an ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award’, a ‘Travel Content Award’, the ‘Tourism Superstar Award’ and a ‘TXGB Trailblazer Award’.

All finalists are invited to attend the national awards ceremony, this year being held at Rum Warehouse at The Titanic Hotel Liverpool on 5 June, where Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will be announced at the black tie event. The Family Holiday Charity is the chosen charity for this year’s event.

This year’s Awards aligned with 16 local competitions from across England with winners automatically put forward for the national awards.

Vikki Harris, Marketing and Partnerships Director of Marketing Lancashire who organise the annual Lancashire Tourism Awards said “What a wonderful affirmation of the world class tourism offer in Lancashire. La Locanda, Secret Garden Glamping and Blackpool Winter Gardens, now go on to represent the county in the most prestigious awards for the tourism industry in England. These hard working, brilliant businesses are at the top of their game and demonstrate the quality, invention and warm welcome that we’re renowned for in Lancashire.

“Each of the finalists will take home either Gold, Silver or Bronze at this year’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence and we couldn’t be prouder or happier for them.”

Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, supporting hundreds of thousands of small-to-medium sized businesses, employing 2.6 million people and, in 2022, generating £66 billion for the economy in domestic visitor spending.

VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2024

List of Finalists:

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

Colchester Castle, Essex www.colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/visit/colchester-castle

Hoe Grange Holidays, Derbyshire www.hoegrangeholidays.co.uk

ROARR! Norfolk www.roarr.co.uk

B&B and Guest House of the Year

Bossington Hall, Somerset www.bossingtonhall.co.uk

MonkBridge House, North Yorkshire www.monkbridgehouseyork.com

The Bosham Boathouse B&B, West Sussex www.theboshamboathouse.co.uk

Business Events Venue of the Year

Telford International Centre, Shropshire www.tictelford.com

Warwick Conferences, West Midlands www.warwickconferences.com

Winter Gardens Blackpool, Lancashire www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

Darwin Forest Lodges, Derbyshire www.darwinforest.co.uk

Kits Coty Glamping, Kent www.kitscotyglamping.co.uk

The Secret Garden Glamping, Lancashire www.thesecretgardenglamping.uk

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award

Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk

Mill Farm Eco Barns, Norfolk www.millfarm-ecobarns.co.uk

The Yan at Broadrayne, Cumbria www.theyan.co.uk

Experience of the Year

Mountain Bike Taster Day, Pure Outdoor, Derbyshire www.pureoutdoor.co.uk

Grey Seals & Seabird Cruise, Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours, Northumberland www.farneislandstours.co.uk

York Ghost Walk, The Deathly Dark Tours, North Yorkshire www.deathlydarktours.com

Large Hotel of the Year

Hope Street Hotel, Merseyside www.hopestreethotel.co.uk

Rockliffe Hall Hotel, County Durham www.rockliffehall.com

The Grand, York, North Yorkshire www.thegrandyork.co.uk

Small Hotel of the Year

The Gallivant, East Sussex www.thegallivant.co.uk

THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay, Cornwall www.thepighotel.com/at-harlyn-bay

Wildhive Callow Hall, Derbyshire www.wildhive.uk

New Tourism Business of the Year

Boys Hall, Kent www.boys-hall.com

Sleepy Owl Devon, Devon www.sleepyowldevon.co.uk

The Wizard Walk of York, North Yorkshire www.wizardwalkofyork.com

Pub of the Year

The Acorn Inn, Dorset www.acorn-inn.co.uk

The Peterville Inn, Cornwall www.thepetervilleinn.co.uk

The Red Fox, Merseyside www.brunningandprice.co.uk/redfox

Self Catering Accommodation of the Year

Bethnal&Bec, Hertfordshire www.bethnalandbec.com

My Cottages in St Ives, Cornwall www.mycottagesinstives.co.uk

Sleepy Owl Devon, Devon www.sleepyowldevon.co.uk

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

Cotswolds Distillery, Warwickshire www.cotswoldsdistillery.com

Nothe Fort (operated by Weymouth Civic Society), Dorset www.nothefort.org.uk

The Battle of Britain Memorial, Kent www.battleofbritainmemorial.org

Taste of England Award

Allium at Askham Hall, Cumbria www.askhamhall.co.uk

Blackfriars Restaurant, Tyne & Wear www.blackfriarsrestaurant.co.uk

La Locanda, Lancashire www.lalocanda.co.uk

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

ROARR! Norfolk www.roarr.co.uk

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Hertfordshire www.wbstudiotour.co.uk

WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire www.wwt.org.uk/slimbridge

Unsung Hero Award

Katie Calder, V-ATE Automotive Smokehouse and Bowl, Lincolnshire

Brett Hawkes, Crowhurst Park, East Sussex

Duncan Wise, Northumberland National Park Authority, Northumberland

Travel Content Award finalists

Ben Aitken, The Guardian – ‘O’er vales and hills in a wheelchair: a new accessible trail in the Lake District’

Liz Edwards, The Times – ‘I went for a cross-country swim in the Thames, here’s what happened’

Richard Franks, JRNY Travel Magazine – ‘Greener Heartlands’