Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards
The 2008/09 Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards 'cooked up' a sprinkling of first time winners mixed with past winners during a ceremony where Lancashire’s food and drink year, Taste Lancashire 08, was duly marked.
A cooking demonstration from celebrity chefs The Hairy Bikers and an acknowledgment of chef Nigel Haworth’s appearance in the final of BBC TV’s Great British Menu were served up alongside the handing out of 13 winners trophies and 9 highly commended/runner up placings at Blackburn Rovers Football Club on June 18.
Awards presenter Ted Robbins, a presenter on BBC Radio Lancashire, handed out glass trophies and certificates to the successful businesses. Ted had to step in at the last minute to replace Ranvir Singh from BBC Northwest Tonight who had to cancel the day before the ceremony due to illness.
The winners and highly commended were:
Bed and Breakfast/Guest Accommodation of the Year
Sponsored by Taste Lancashire
Winner - Number One South Beach, Blackpool
Highly Commended - Little Stubbins Bed & Breakfast, Claughton-on-Brock
Highly Commended - Whitestake Farm Bed & Breakfast, Nr Preston
Small Hotel of the Year
Sponsored by Lancashire County Developments Ltd
Winner – The Shireburn Arms Hotel, Hurst Green
Large Hotel of the Year
Sponsored by Black + White Communications
Winner - Big Blue Hotel, Blackpool
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Sponsored by Welcome to Excellence
Winner – Farmer Ted’s Farm Park, Ormskirk
Highly Commended – Williamson Park, Lancaster
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Sponsored by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)
Winner – Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool
Caravan Holiday Park of the Year
Sponsored by VisitBlackpool
Winner - Newton Hall Holiday Park, Blackpool
Highly Commended - Eastham Hall Caravan Park, Lytham St Annes
Self Catering Holiday of the Year
Sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development Agency
Winner - The Beach House, Blackpool
Highly Commended - Wolfen Mill Country Retreats, Chipping
Tourism Website of the Year
Sponsored by New Mind Internet Consultancy
Winner - Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green
Taste Lancashire 08 Award
Sponsored by Made in Lancashire
Winner - Northcote Manor, Langho
Business Tourism Award of the Year
Sponsored by Lancashire Economic Partnership
Winner - Barton Grange Hotel, Nr Preston
Sustainable Tourism Award
Sponsored by Fraser Eagle
Winner - RSPB Leighton Moss Nature Reserve, Silverdale
Highly Commended - Malkin Tower Farm Holiday Cottages, Blacko
Best Tourism Experience of the Year
Sponsored by Blackpool International Airport
Winner - Downy Duckling Experience - WWT Martin Mere, Ormskirk
Highly Commended – Morecambe Bay Cross Bay Walks
Tourism Event of the Year
Supported by BBC Radio Lancashire
This category was voted for by the public during May. Votes were cast on visitlancashire.com or by completing a voting form. The public were choosing their favourite event from 2007.
First Place - Lancashire Food Festival, Accrington
Second Place – World Horse Welfare Penny Farm Open Days, Nr Blackpool
Third Place - Halloween at Farmer Ted's Farm Park, Ormskirk
There was a special presentation made to Cedric Robinson MBE in recognition of his contribution to tourism leading over 400,000 people on walks across Morecambe Bay as the Queen’s Guide to the Sands. He was appointed to this post nearly 45 years ago in October 1963.
Cedric was presented with a certificate entitled Tourism Ambassador, by Mike Wilkinson, Chief Executive of Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board.Commenting on the ceremony
Mike Wilkinson said:
“It was fitting to hold our fifth awards at Blackburn Rovers, Lancashire’s representative in football’s top league. Our entrants are equally premiership class and deserve their recognition today.“As with a Premiership team they have needed to be result driven in order to survive, go for excellence and quality to really prosper and, rightly, celebrate success when it comes. All are to be congratulated for their achievement.”
The Awards are supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), and many of the winners will now go on to represent Lancashire and Blackpool at the England’s Northwest Tourism Awards later this year.
James Berresford, Director of Tourism at the (NWDA) said:
“I’d like to offer my congratulations to all of the winners today; they are a reflection of the hard work and commitment that is helping tourism to thrive in the Northwest. Quality is the key to success in this industry and these winners are helping to raise the benchmark. I hope their success will be an inspiration to others and I look forward to seeing them at the regional awards in October.”
©Copyright 2008 Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board
