Winners Visit England Awards for Excellence 2013
The Olympic Games Makers have won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2013. The coveted accolade was one of 17 presented at a glittering ceremony hosted by the national tourist board at The Point, Lancashire County Cricket Club, in Manchester, on 20 May. These prestigious awards, currently in their 24th year, promote excellence in England’s tourism industry and celebrate the very best the country has to offer.
The Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award was awarded to the army of 70,000 Games Makers in recognition of the 9 million hours spent welcoming and assisting visitors at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games last summer. In winning this award, they join an exclusive group of English tourism champions. Previous winners include The English Pub, The National Trust, The Royal Shakespeare Company and last year’s winner, The English Garden.
The award was presented by former Olympic triple jump Gold Medallist, Jonathan Edwards. Four Games Makers who worked at events in both Manchester and London accepted the trophy on behalf of their fellow volunteers; also present was Nicola Sweeney from Locog, who managed the recruitment process of whittling down a quarter of a million applicants to the final 70,000 Games Makers.
VisitEngland’s Chairman, Lady Cobham, commented:
“The Games Makers were ambassadors not just for London 2012, but for the entire country. As the face of the Games, they showed great humour, grace under pressure and an amazing team spirit. The warm welcome and friendly assistance they provided will be remembered fondly by visitors from both home and abroad for many years to come, and I’m delighted that we are able to recognise their unique contribution to tourism with this award.”
Other awards announced at the ceremony in Manchester included the best Bed and Breakfast, Small Hotel, Tourism Experience, Tourism Pub of the Year, Taste of England, Sustainable Tourism, Business Tourism and Access for All Tourism Award. The 32 Gold and Silver winners were selected by a panel of tourism industry experts including VisitEngland Board Member David Orr and travel broadcaster Alison Rice. Also on the panel were two previous award winners – Nick Akerman from the Cotswold Conference Centre and Bob O’Connor from Port Lympne Safari Park.
This year’s celebrations also saw the presentation of the Tourism Superstar Award to Claire Preece, Hospitality Manager at Kents Cavern in Torquay. As part of English Tourism Week in March, VisitEngland teamed up with the Daily Mirror for a public vote to find England’s unsung tourism hero – someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make visitors feel extra special and is a real ambassador for tourism. Another victor was journalist Brian Jackman, who won Travel Article of the Year award for his piece, “Exmoor: Into the wild, with stags and stars” – a look at stargazing in Europe’s first ‘dark sky’ reserve.
VisitEngland’s Chief Executive, James Berresford, commented:
“The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence represent the highest accolade in English tourism, and this year’s winners have raised the bar higher than ever before. The awards champion the very best in quality and customer service, and continue to help to raise standards across the industry, establishing England’s place as a world-class destination and a brilliant place to visit. The competition was fierce so all our finalists are to be warmly congratulated for their success – particularly our Gold Award winners, whose passion and commitment to excellence is exemplary.”
The headline sponsor of the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2013 was CH2M Hill – a global engineering project management consultancy which was involved in the development of infrastructure and venues for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Other sponsors include travel trade publication TravelGBI, Manchester brewery Joseph Holt and Kent vineyard, Chapel Down. Several of the 17 award categories are supported by individual sponsors, including Natwest (Large Hotel of the Year), Barclaycard Global Business Solutions (Business Tourism), Guestlink and Hudsons (Visitor Information Provider of the Year), the British Beer & Pub Association (Tourism Pub of the Year), Cottages4you (Self Catering Holiday of the Year), freetobook (Small Hotel of the Year), Welcome to Excellence (Small Visitor Attraction) and Quality in Tourism (B&B/Guest Accommodation of the Year).
Associated imagery for all the shortlisted businesses can be downloaded here: https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0Bz3aQUcfONzSaGs5UlRTVEk4VXM/edit
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Notes to Editors.
The judging panel awarded 20 Gold Awards, 12 Silver Awards and 14 Bronze Awards. 24 finalists were Highly Commended.
The Games Makers who collected the Outstanding Contribution Award were:
- Marion Kennedy – part of the Wayfinding Team at Stratford during the Paralympics, and an Ambassador at Old Trafford for the football during the Olympics.
- Trevor Pledger – Water Polo Training team at the Olympics, Swimming medal chaperone at the Paralympics.
- Graham Jackett – part of the Workforce Operations Team at the main Olympic Stadium.
- Linda Jackett – a member of the Accreditation Team based in the Venue Accreditation Help Offices (VAHO) on the Olympic Park.
The Gold Winners are:
Access for All Tourism Award
Sandcastle Water Park
Blackpool, Lancashire
Bed & Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year
Alkham Court Farmhouse
South Alkham, Nr Dover, Kent
Best Tourism Experience/Event of the Year
Kielder Water & Forest Park
Newcastle, Tyne & wear
Manchester International Festival
Manchester, Greater Manchester
Business Tourism Award
ExCel London
London
Manchester Central
Manchester, Greater Manchester
Caravan Holiday Park/Holiday Village of the Year
Kelling Heath Holiday Park
Holt, Norfolk
Large Hotel of the Year
The Swan Hotel
Sudbury, Suffolk
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Beaulieu Enterprises
Beaulieu, Hampshire
Self-Catering Holiday Provider of the Year
Combermere Abbey Cottages
Whitchurch, Shropshire
Small Hotel of the Year
Gidleigh Park
Chagford, Devon
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Captain Cook Memorial Museum
Whitby, North Yorkshire
Sustainable Tourism Award
Beechenhill Farm
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Tourism Pub of the Year
The Feathered Nest
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Taste of England Award
Overwater Hall
Carlisle, Cumbria
Samuel’s at Swinton Park
Ripon, North Yorkshire
Visitor Information Provider of the Year
Greenwich Tourist Information Centre
Greenwich, London
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism
London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Makers
Tourism Article of the Year
Brian Jackman
Tourism Superstar
Claire Preece – Kents Cavern
Torquay, Devon
Full list of VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2013 winners:
Self Catering Holiday Provider of the Year
Combermere Abbey Cottages, Whitchurch, Shropshire – Gold
Staying Cool at the Rotunda, Birmingham – Silver
Eaton Manor Country Estate, Church Stretton, Shropshire – Bronze
Bosinver Farm Cottages, St Austell, Cornwall – Highly Commended
Tottergill Farm, Brampton, Cumbria – Highly Commended
Business Tourism Award
ExCel London – Gold
Manchester Central, Manchester – Gold
Rockcliffe Hall, Darlington, Ct Durham – Silver
Arundell Arms Hotel, Lifton, Devon – Bronze
York Marriott, York, Yorkshire – Highly Commended
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby, North Yorkshire – Gold
Corinium Museum, Cirencester, Glos. – Silver
Ordsall Hall, Salford, Gt Manchester – Bronze
Washington Wetlands, Tyne and Wear – Highly Commended
Large Hotel of the Year
The Swan Hotel, Lavenham, Suffolk – Gold
Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall – Silver
The Lowry Hotel, Salford, Gt Manchester – Bronze
Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa, York, North Yorkshire – Highly Commended
Peckforton Castle, Tarporley, Cheshire – Highly Commended
Taste of England Award
Overwater Hall, Ireby, Cumbria – Gold
Samuel’s at Swinton Park, Masham, North Yorkshire – Gold
Redwell Country Inn & Restaurant, Carnforth, Lancashire – Bronze.jpg)
Drewtons Ltd, Nr Beverley, East Yorkshire – Highly Commended
Blackfriars, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear – Highly Commended
Access for All Tourism Award
Sandcastle Water Park, Blackpool, Lancashire – Gold
The Science Museum, London – Silver
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax, West Yorkshire – Bronze
Calvert Trust, Barnstaple, Devon – Highly Commended
One Great George Street, London – Highly Commended
Hoe Grange, Matlock, Derbyshire – Highly Commended
Visitor Information Provider of the Year
Greenwich TIC, London Gold
Wakefield Visitor Centre, West Yorkshire – Silver
Thanet Visitor Information Service, Margate, Kent – Bronze
Gloucester TIC, Glos –Highly Commended
Caravan and Holiday Parks
Kelling Heath Holiday Park, Holt, Norfolk – Gold
Trethem Mill Touring Park, St Just In Roseland, Cornwall – Silver
Woodclose Park, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria – Bronze
Carr Royd Parks Ltd Sunset Park, Hambleton, Lancashire – Highly Commended
Oakdown Country Holiday Park, Sidmouth, Devon – Highly Commended
Tourism Pub of the Year
The Feathered Nest, Nether Westcote, Oxfordshire – Gold
The Drunken Duck, Ambleside, Cumbria – Silver
The Yew Tree Inn, Tarporley, Cheshire – Bronze
The Millstone at Mellor, Blackburn, Lancashire – Highly Commended
Rashleigh Arms, St Austell, Cornwall – Highly Commended
Tourism Experience of the Year
Kielder Water & Forest Park, Horsley, Northumberland – Gold
Manchester International Festival, Manchester – Gold
RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day, Yeovil, Somerset – Bronze
Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival, Salisbury, Wiltshire – Highly Commended
The French in York, York, North Yorkshire – Highly Commended
B&B/Guest Accommodation
Alkham Court Farmhouse, Nr Dover, Kent – Gold
Pendragon Country House, Camelford, Cornwall – Silver
The Salty Monk Restaurant with Rooms, Sidmouth, Devon – Bronze
Fern Cottage B&B, Pucklechurch, South Glos. – Highly Commended
The Bears Paw, Sandbach, Cheshire – Highly Commended
Sustainable Tourism Award
Beechenhill Farm, Ashbourne, Derbyshire – Gold
Hoe Grange, Matlock, Derbyshire – Silver
Kelling Heath, Holt, Norfolk – Bronze
At-Bristol Science Centre, Bristol – Highly Commended
Small Hotel of the Year
Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon – Gold
Holbeck Ghyll, Windermere, Cumbria – Silver
Northcote, Langho, Lancashire – Bronze
The Scarlet Hotel, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall – Highly Commended
Brockencote Hall, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire – Highly Commended
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Beaulieu Enterprises, Beaulieu, Hampshire – Gold
The Roman Baths, Bath, Somerset – Silver
Cutty Sark, Greenwich, London – Bronze
Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire – Highly Commended
Tourism Superstar
Claire Preece, Kents Cavern, Torquay, Devon – Winner
Anthony Gales, Beamish – The Living Museum of the North, Beamish, Ct Durham – Runner-Up
For more information on the awards, please visit: www.visitenglandawards.org
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Long, Head of Corporate Communications, 020 7578 1452, [email protected]
Emma White, Corporate Communications Executive, 020 7578 1471, [email protected]
About VisitEngland
- VisitEngland is the country’s national tourist board. We work in partnership with the industry to develop the visitor experience across England, plan national tourism strategy, grow the value of tourism in England and provide advocacy for the industry and our visitors
- Our work is underpinned by robust research and customer insights. You can access the latest in-depth market intelligence and statistics on www.visitengland.org/insight-statistics
About the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2013
- The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2013 celebrate the best of English tourism. They promote healthy industry competition and high standards, helping to ensure England's place as a world-class destination. www.visitenglandawards.org.
- The 17 categories for the 2013 awards include: Access for all Tourism Award, Bed & Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year, Best Tourism Experience, Business Tourism Award, Caravan Holiday Park, Large Hotel (over 35 bedrooms), Large Visitor Attraction (over 100,000 visitors), Self Catering Holiday of the Year, Small Hotel of the Year (under 35 Bedrooms), Small Visitor Attraction (under 50,000), Sustainable Tourism Award, Taste of England Award, Tourist Information Service, Tourism Pub of the Year, Tourism SuperStar, and Travel Article of the Year.
- Included in the 17 categories is the additional award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism. Previous winners of this award have included The Great English Pub, Michael Eavis CBE, HM The Queen, the Harry Potter films, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Sir Paul McCartney, Liverpool, The National Trust and last year the English Garden.