25 October 2006

Winners of Northwest tourism 'Oscars' revealed

Last night (Tuesday 24th October) the cream of the region's tourism industry gathered at the new Manchester Hilton Hotel, in the city's soaring Beetham Tower for the third annual England's Northwest Tourism Awards.

The high-profile event, organised by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and hosted by BBC North West Tonight presenters Gordon Burns and Dianne Oxberry, was attended by tourism businesses and officials from across the region.

The winners each walked away with a gleaming trophy to mark their achievement and the coveted title of best in the Northwest for 2006. The accolades handed out last night were:

• Large Hotel of the Year  - The Chester Grosvenor Hotel and Spa, Chester
• Small Hotel of the Year - Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Lancashire
• Bed and Breakfast of the Year - Number One, Blackpool
• Self-Catering Holiday of the Year  - Bridge End Farm Cottages, Boot, Cumbria
• Holiday Park of the Year - Skelwith Fold Caravan Park, Ambleside, Cumbria
• Large Attraction of the Year - Imperial War Museum North, Greater Manchester
• Small Attraction of the Year - Arley Hall and Gardens, Cheshire
• Tourism Website of the Year - www.english-in-chester.co.uk
• Excellence in Business Tourism - Low Wood Hotel, Windermere, Cumbria
• Taste of England's Northwest - The Three Fishes, Mitton, Lancashire
• Excellence in Customer Service - Averil Dawson and Ann Cook, the Beacon, Whitehaven, Cumbria
• Tourist Information Centre of the Year - Congleton TIC, Cheshire

The England's Northwest Tourism Awards recognise excellence within the tourism industry and reward both group and individual achievement over the past year. Regional winners will now have the opportunity to represent the Northwest in the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence, organised by VisitBritain, which will be held in April 2007.

Felicity Goodey, Chair of the Tourism Forum for England's Northwest said:

"These prestigious awards recognise and reward the leaders in this rapidly growing industry.  These are the people and businesses that are setting the standards we need to turn this region into one of the top tourist destinations in Europe. Year by year we are becoming increasingly attractive to visitors thanks to the efforts of businesses like these."

-ends-

Notes to editors

Finalists in the England's Northwest Tourism Awards are winners from each of the sub-regional tourism awards.

England's Northwest Tourism Awards Finalists:

Large Hotel of the Year
The Chester Grosvenor Hotel and Spa, Chester - Winner
Waterhead Hotel, Windermere
Big Blue Hotel, Blackpool
Radisson Edwardian, Manchester
Thornton Hall Hotel and Spa, Thornton Hough

Small Hotel of the Year
The Stannylands Hotel, Macclesfield
Rothay Manor Hotel and Restaurant, Ambelside
Stanley House, Mellor - Winner
Great John Street, Manchester
Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool

Bed and Breakfast of the Year
Harrop Fold Farm, Macclesfield - Highly Commended
Riversdale, Grasmere
Number One, Blackpool - Winner
At Peel Hey Country Guest House, Frankby

Large Attraction of the Year
Chester Zoo, Chester
Muncaster, Ravenglass - Highly Commended
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Imperial War Museum North, Trafford - Winner
World Museum Liverpool

Small Attraction of the Year
Arley Hall and Gardens, Nr Northwich - Winner
Mirehouse Historic House & Gardens
Cobble Hey Farm and Gardens,Garstang
Hatworks, Stockport
World of Glass, St Helens

Self-Catering Holiday of the Year
Millmoor Farm Holidays, Nr Chester
Bridge End Farm Cottages, Eskdale - Winner
Wolfen Mill Country Retreats, Chipping

Holiday Park of the Year
Skelwith Fold Caravan Park, Ambleside
Fold House Park, Pilling

Tourism Website of the Year
www.english-in-Chester.co.uk - Winner
www.walkerground.co.uk
www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com
www.urbis.org.uk
www.beatlesstory.com 

Excellence in Business Tourism
Trafford Hall, Chester - Highly Commended
Low Wood Hotel, Windermere - Winner
Lancaster House Hotel, Lancaster
The Lowry, Salford Quays
Foresight Centre, University of Liverpool

Taste of England's Northwest
The Hollies Farm Shop, Vale Royal - Highly Commended
Westmorland Farm Shops, Rheged, Penrith
The Three Fishes, Nr Whalley - Winner
Redhouse Farm shop and Tea Rooms, Dunham Massey
The London Carriage Works, Liverpool

Excellence in Customer Service
Philip Patrick, Ramada Chester
Averil Dawson & Anne Cook, The Beacon, Whitehaven - Winners
Jeannie Farmer, Springfield House Hotel
Lesley Dann, The Foresight Centre, Liverpool - Highly Commended

Tourist Information Centre of the Year
Congleton TIC - Winner
Penrith TIC - Highly Commended
Morecambe TIC
Saddleworth TIC
Liverpool 08 Place

For further information please contact Helen Batte, Tourism Press Officer on 01925 400235 or 07764 239856 or Helen.Batte@nwda.co.uk 

For further information and to view previous press releases visit us at www.nwda.co.uk  

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England"s Northwest and is responsible for:

• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region's outstanding quality of life