11 October 2007

Winners of Northwest tourism ‘Oscars’ revealed

Last night (Wednesday 10th October) the cream of the region’s tourism industry gathered at Manchester Central for the fourth 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 presenter Ranvir Singh, was attended by tourism businesses and officials from across the region.

The winners each walked away with a gleaming trophy, crafted by The World of Glass, St Helens, to mark their achievement and the coveted title of best in the Northwest for 2007. The accolades handed out last night were:

• Large Hotel of the Year  - Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Manchester
• Small Hotel of the Year – Hillbark Hotel, Wirral, Merseyside
• Bed and Breakfast of the Year – Boltongate Old Rectory, near Ireby, Cumbria
• Self-Catering Holiday of the Year  - Stone Cottage, Ullswater, Cumbria
• Holiday Park of the Year – Sunset Park, Hambleton, Lancashire
• Large Attraction of the Year  - Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle, Cumbria
• Small Attraction of the Year – Ordsall Hall Museum, Salford, Greater Manchester
• Tourism Website of the Year – www.liverpoolphil.com
• Excellence in Business Tourism – Manchester Central
• Taste of England’s Northwest – The London Carriage Works, Liverpool
• Excellence in Customer Service – Lynn Taylor, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight, Merseyside
• Visitor Experience of the Year – The Open Championship 2006, Wirral, Merseyside
• Tourist Information Centre of the Year – Liverpool 08 Place
• Excellence in Sustainable Tourism – National Wildflower Centre, Merseyside
• Public Space Award – Keswick Market Place, Cumbria
• Travel Journalist of the Year – Stephen McClarence

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 2008.

Felicity Goodey, Chair of Tourism England’s Northwest, said: “More than 29 million visitors stay with us each year now. Tourism contributes £10billion to the Northwest economy.  This year we swept the board in the national awards for every type of accommodation.  England’s best large and small hotels are in the Northwest, so is the best bed and breakfast and the best caravan park.

“It’s businesses like the ones we are honouring tonight who are turning this region into an increasingly desirable visitor destination. The winners will represent us nationally, but all the finalists are helping to drive up the quality, service and innovation which are attracting tourists from around Britain and overseas.”

-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 2007 Finalists:

Large Hotel of the Year
Grosvenor Pulford Hotel, Cheshire
Lakeside Hotel, Cumbria
Lancaster House Hotel
Radisson Edwardian Hotel Manchester - Winner
Holiday Inn Liverpool City Centre

Small Hotel of the Year
The Alderley Edge Hotel, Cheshire
Swinside Lodge Hotel, Cumbria – Judges Commendation
The Millstone at Mellor, Lancashire
Great John Street Hotel, Manchester
Hillbark Hotel, Merseyside - Winner

Bed and Breakfast of the Year
Churton Heath Farm Bed and Breakfast, Cheshire – Judges Commendation
Boltongate Old Rectory, Cumbria - Winner
Riverside Barn, Lancashire
Peel Hey Country Guest House, Merseyside

Self Catering Holiday of the Year
Jasmine Cottage, Cheshire
Stone Cottage, Cumbria - Winner
Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, Lancashire

Holiday Park of the Year
Manor Wood Country Caravan Park, Cheshire
Wild Rose Park, Cumbria
Sunset Park, Lancashire - Winner
Burrs Country Park, Greater Manchester

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Chester Zoo, Cheshire
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Cumbria - Winner
Blackpool Zoo, Lancashire
Urbis, Manchester
Big Art for Little Artists - Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre, Cheshire – Judges Commendation
The Rum Story, Cumbria
International League for the Protection of Horses Penny Farm, Lancashire
Ordsall Hall Museum, Greater Manchester - Winner
National Wildflower Centre, Merseyside

Visitor Experience of the Year
Painting at Harrop Fold Farm with Michael Moore, Cheshire
Murthwaite Green Trekking Centre, Cumbria
Keeper for the day – Blackpool Zoo, Lancashire
Salford Triathlon, Greater Manchester – Judges Commendation
2006 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, Merseyside - Winner

Tourism Website of the Year
www.arleyhallandgardens.com
www.nearhowe.co.uk
www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk
www.manchesterinternationalfestival.com
www.liverpoolphil.com - Winner

Excellence in Business Tourism
De Vere Carden Park Hotel, Golf resort and Spa, Cheshire- Judges Commendation
Castle Green Hotel, Cumbria
Bartle Hall Hotel, Lancashire
Manchester Central - Winner
Foresight Centre, Liverpool

Excellence in Customer Service
Rachel Bickerton, The Crewe Arms, Cheshire
Julia Howarth, Rothay Manor, Cumbria
Roseann Hollis, Weezos, Lancashire
Norman Swift, Manchester City Experience Museum – Judges Commendation
Lynn Taylor, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Merseyside - Winner

Taste of England’s Northwest
The Hollies Farm Shop, Cheshire
Food & Company, Cumbria
Kwizeen Restaurant, Lancashire – Judges Commendation
Choice Bar and restaurant, Manchester
The London Carriage Works, Liveprool - Winner

Travel Journalist of the Year
Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle
Stephen McClarence, Freelance - Winner
Louise Tickle, Freelance
David Atkinson, Freelance
Pauline Cooper, Yorkshire Evening Post

Excellence in Sustainable Tourism
Norton Priory Museum and Gardens, Cheshire
Moss Grove Organic Hotel, Cumbria
Off the Rails, Cycle Bowland, Lancashire – Judges Commendation
Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, Lancashire
National Wildflower Centre, Merseyside - Winner

Public Space Award
George Bancroft Park, Blackpool, Lancashire – Judges Commendation
Keswick Market Place, Cumbria - Winner
St Annes on Sea, Lancashire
Chapel Street, Southport, Merseyside
Otterspool Promenade, Liverpool

Tourist Information Centre of the Year
Congleton, Cheshire
Workington, Cumbria
Burnley, Lancashire
Saddleworth, Greater Manchester
Liverpool 08 Place - Winner

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

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

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