More than 45 tourism, hospitality and leisure businesses have made it through to the finals of the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards 2025.
A total of 118 entries were received for the competition, and they have now been whittled down to shortlists in each of the 19 categories.
Alton Towers Resort is up for a handful of awards, while others in the running across several categories include The Brampton Museum in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tamworth’s Drayton Manor Resort and The Trentham Estate, in Trentham.
The winners will be announced live at a black-tie awards ceremony on Thursday, 20 March hosted by BBC Midlands Today’s Rebecca Wood and held at the Doubletree by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent.
Many of the ‘Gold’ winners will progress to represent Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence taking place in June 2025.
The finalists are:
| Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award – Alton Towers Resort, Alton. – The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme. – National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas. – The Trentham Estate, Trentham. | Business Events Venue of the Year – Alton Towers Resort. – Drayton Manor Resort, Tamworth. – Keele University Events & Conferencing, Keele. – Weston Park, Weston-under-Lizard. |
| Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year: – Hales Hall Caravan & Camping Park, Cheadle. – Quarry Walk Park, Alton. – Secret Cloud House Holidays, Cauldon. | Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award – Alton Towers Resort. – The Brampton Museum. – Dorothy Clive Garden, Willoughbridge. – Eagle House, Eccleshall. – Hoar Cross Hall, near Burton upon Trent. |
| Experience of the Year – Distillery Experience, Nelson’s Distillery & School, near Uttoxeter. – Dusk Beaver Safari, The Trentham Estate. – Tower Tours, Lichfield Cathedral. – Tranquillity Spa Day, Moddershall Oaks Spa, near Stone. – Serenity Spa Stay, Hoar Cross Hall. | International Tourism Award – World of Wedgwood, Barlaston. |
| Large Hotel of the Year: – CBeebies Land Hotel, Alton Towers Resort. – Courtyard by Marriott, Keele. – Doubletree by Hilton, Stoke-on-Trent. – Drayton Manor Hotel, Drayton Manor Resort. – Hoar Cross Hall. – The Tawny Hotel, near Leek. | Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: – Alton Towers Resort. – Drayton Manor Resort. – National Memorial Arboretum. – Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek. – The Trentham Estate. – Waterworld Leisure Resort, Stoke-on-Trent. – World of Wedgwood. |
| New Tourism Business of the Year: – Adventure Mini Village, Stoke-on-Trent. – Hockerhill Playbarn, Brewood. – Jurassic Creek Adventure Golf, near Four Ashes. – Lowe’s on Carter Street, Uttoxeter. | Pub of the Year: – Den Engel, Leek – The Fitzherbert Arms, Swynnerton – The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone – The Knot Inn, Rushton Spencer |
| Rising Star – Daniel West – The Upper House Hotel, Barlaston. – Kirsty Holland – Alton Towers Resort. – Max Croston – Newcastle & Stafford Colleges Group. – Orion Hunte – Courtyard by Marriott Keele. – Patrick Brown – Peak Wildlife Park. | Self Catering Accommodation of the Year: – ABC Boat Hire, Kings Orchard Marina, Lichfield. – Consall Valley Lodge, near Leek. – Eagle House Apartment, Eccleshall. – Ford Wetley Cottage, near Leek. – Weston Park Holiday Cottages, Weston-under-Lizard. |
| Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year: – Eagle House, Eccleshall. – The Little George, Eccleshall. – Walnut House at The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone. | Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: – The Brampton Museum. – Dorothy Clive Garden. – Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent. – Tamworth Castle, Tamworth. |
| Taste of England – Casual Dining Award: – The Grosvenor Restaurant at Hales Hall, Cheadle. – The Star at Cotton, near Cheadle. – Thyme Kitchen, near Lichfield. – Ye Olde Rock Inn, near Leek. | Taste of England – Restaurant of the Year: – Lowe’s on Carter Street. – Lunar Restaurant, Barlaston. – The Oak House at Moddershall Oaks. – The Plumicorn at The Tawny. – Willow, The Trentham Estate. |
| Taste of England – Tea Room & Coffee Shop of the Year: – Denstone Hall Farm Café, Denstone, near Uttoxeter. – Poms, Lichfield. – The Little George, Eccleshall. – World of Wedgwood Tea Room. | Team of the Year: – The Brampton Museum Team. – Doubletree by Hilton – Revenue, Sales & Marketing Team. – Lowe’s on Carter Street Team. – Newcastle & Stafford Colleges Group – Riverbank Restaurant Team. |
| Unsung Hero Award: David Hunter – Nelson’s Distillery & School. Jodie Knapper – The Trentham Estate. Jonathan Fowler – Thyme Kitchen. Stephen Waring – Alton Towers Resort. |
Philip White, cabinet member with responsibility for tourism at Staffordshire County Council, said: “The tourism awards are all about shining a light on our fantastic hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses and the amazing people working in them.
“The competition is a great way of recognising the diverse range of attractions, accommodation and food & drink businesses that continue to deliver outstanding customer experiences. The awards ceremony itself is also a brilliant event that I’m looking forward to. It gives us a great opportunity to bring everyone together to celebrate. I’d like to congratulate all those businesses shortlisted in this year’s awards and wish them luck in the final.”
The awards are sponsored by the University of Staffordshire.
Martin Tideswell, Director of Commercial Strategy at the University of Staffordshire, said: “These awards are now hailed as the biggest Shire competition in England – a testament to the outstanding businesses who continue to put Staffordshire on the map.
“As well as being a wonderful place to live, work, study and visit, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent is recognised as a crucible of creators, entrepreneurs and innovators – something that the University is proud to support.”
Read the round-up of last year’s winners here.
