Lancashire scoops top awards at regional tourism ‘Oscars’

23rd October 2008

Lancashire scoops top awards at regional tourism ‘Oscars’

Three of our top tourism businesses were named the best in the Northwest at the fifth annual England’s Northwest Tourism Awards last night (Wednesday October 22).

Organised by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the high-profile event was hosted by interior designer and television personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall.

The Beach House in Blackpool was named Self Catering Holiday of the Year. The judges called it simply stunning; with its high quality finish the Beach House challenges perceptions of Blackpool and is setting a new standard of excellence in the resort.

Innovative and ambitious, Cleveleys New Wave was the winner of the Public Space Award while Gary Henshall of Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool picked up the trophy for Excellence in Customer Service.

Number One South Beach narrowly missed out in the bed and breakfast category but impressed the judges so much that they were awarded a commendation for exceptional quality, comfort and the warmest of welcomes. Fleetwood TIC was also highly commended by the judges in the Tourist Information Centre category.

The England’s Northwest Tourism Awards recognise excellence within the tourism industry and reward both group and individual achievement over the past year. In addition to receiving the prestigious title and trophy, many of the winners now have the opportunity to represent the Northwest in the national awards, organised by VisitBritain in April 2009.

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

“The Northwest Tourism Awards have set a very high benchmark for the industry over the past few years, with many of our winners going on to triumph at the national awards. We know that we have some of the UK’s best tourism businesses here in the region and these awards recognise and reward the leaders in what is a highly competitive industry.

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

Large Hotel of the Year

Marriott Worsley Park Hotel and Country Club, Manchester (Winner)

Cottons Hotel and Spa, Knutsford

Macdonald Old England Hotel and Spa, Windermere

Big Blue Hotel, Blackpool

Marriott Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Small Hotel of the Year

White House Manor, near Macclesfield (Winner)

Appleby Manor, Appleby

The Shireburn Arms Hotel, Clitheroe

Bed and Breakfast of the Year

Augill Castle, Kirkby Stephen (Winner)

Number One South Beach, South Beach, Blackpool (Highly Commended)

Moss Lodge, Rochdale

42 Caldy Road, West Kirby

Sand Hollow Farm, Burwardsley

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

Manchester Art Gallery (Winner)

Ness Botanic Gardens, Neston

South Lakes Wild Animal Park, Dalton in Furness

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

The Quaker Tapestry Exhibition, Kendal (Winner)

Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre, Cotebrook

Farmer Ted’s Farm Park, Ormskirk

Smithills Hall, Bolton

Mersey Ferries Manchester Ship Canal Cruises

Self Catering Holiday of the Year

The Beach House, Blackpool (Winner)

Staying Cool, Manchester (Highly Commended)

Premier Apartments, Liverpool

Mellow Brook Cottage at Harrop Fold Farm, Macclesfield

The Lodge Holiday Cottage, Hayton

Holiday Park of the Year

Park Cliffe Camping and Caravan Park, Windermere (Winner)

Newton Hall Holiday Park, Blackpool

Manor Wood Country Caravan Park, Coddington

Tourism Website of the Year

Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester (Winner)

English in Chester

Windermere Lodge

Ribby Hall Village

Acorn Farm, Knowsley 

Excellence in Business Tourism

The Rheged Centre, Penrith (Winner)

Park Royal Hotel, Warrington (Highly Commended)

Barton Grange Hotel, Preston

Manchester United

The Conference Centre at LACE, Liverpool

Taste of England’s Northwest

Roses Tea Room, Heswall (Winner)

The Hollies Farm Shop, Cheshire (Highly Commended)

The Village Bakery Melmerby

Northcote Manor, Langho

Isinglass Restaurant, Urmston

Tourism Experience of the Year

Manchester International Festival (Winner)

Tate Liverpool - Turner Prize (Highly Commended)

Shacklabank Free Range Walking, Sedbergh (Highly Commended)

Byways Breaks, Cheshire

Downy Duckling Experience, WWT Martin Mere

Lancashire Food festival, Accrington

Cholmondeley Fireworks Concert and Garden Party

Excellence in Customer Service

Gary Henshall - Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool (Winner)

Julie Lyons – De Vere Carden Park Hotel, Chester

Daniel Fairweather, Windermere Marina Village

Pam Simpson – World of Glass, St Helens

Madge Butler - Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport

Public Space Award

Cleveleys New Wave (Winner)

West End Gardens Morecambe

Gateway to The Open Championship, Wirral

Focal Point - St Helens Town Centre

Windermere Enhancement Scheme

Sustainable Tourism Award

Palace Hotel, Manchester (Winner)

Cote How Organic Guest House, Rydal (Highly Commended)

RSPB Leighton Moss Nature Reserve, Silverdale

Carden Park Hotel, Chester

Tourism for All Award

The Beacon Museum, Whitehaven (Winner)

The Trafford Centre, Manchester (Highly Commended)

Wyre Estuary Country Park

The National Wildflower Centre, Knowsley

Tourist Information Centre of the Year

Congleton TIC (Winner)

Fleetwood TIC (Highly Commended)

Manchester Visitor Centre

St.Helens TIC

Keswick TIC

Travel Journalist of the Year

Kevin Sampson (Winner)

Nigel Tisdall (Highly Commended)

Stephen McClarence

David Atkinson

Kate Simon

Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in England’s Northwest

John Dunning, Westmorland Ltd

Visitor Impact Award

Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008