Staffordshire’s best tourism and hospitality businesses have been crowned, with the likes of Alton Towers and Emma Bridgewater picking up top titles at last night’s Visit Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards.
An audience of nearly 400 guests gathered at Statfold Country Park, in Tamworth, to see the winners announced in 20 categories.
Theme park Alton Towers scooped the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year award while Emma Bridgewater, in Stoke-on-Trent, won Small Visitor Attraction of the Year.
The Tawny Hotel, near Leek, bagged two awards – Hotel of the Year and also Restaurant of the Year for The Plumicorn, which has also just achieved the culinary honour of three AA Rosettes.
Another double award winner was Denstone Hall Farm Shop and Café near Uttoxeter, which came out top in the Tearoom & Coffee Shop of the Year and the re-introduced Food & Drink Retailer/Farm Shop categories.
The Fitzherbert Arms, Swynnerton, retained the Pub of the Year title, and Barlaston’s World of Wedgwood won the International Tourism Award for the second year running. Quarry Walk Park, Alton, also enjoyed a second successful year holding onto the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park award.
The Experience of the Year went to Hoar Cross Hall, near Burton upon Trent, for its Rural Retreat Spa stay, while New Business of the Year was Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn, Brewood.
Ford Wetley Cottage, near Leek, took the victory in the Self-Catering accommodation of the Year category, whilst the Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year was Walnut House at The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone.
The black-tie event, sponsored by University of Staffordshire and hosted by BBC Midlands Today’s Rebecca Harper, also recognised Mo Chaudry, the former owner of Waterworld Leisure Resort.
He was presented with an Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent award marking his 30-year commitment to growing the Staffordshire visitor economy and his new Momentum Venture Capital fund to support young Staffordshire entrepreneurs.
The full list of winners is:
| Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award: GOLD – National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas. SILVER – Alton Towers Resort, Alton. BRONZE – The Trentham Estate, Trentham. | Regeneration Tourism Award: GOLD – Eagle House, Eccleshall. SILVER – Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek. BRONZE – The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme. |
| Business Events Venue of the Year: GOLD – Bet 365 Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent. JOINT SILVER – Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat, near Stone. JOINT SILVER – Hilton at St George’s Park, Burton upon Trent. BRONZE – Uttoxeter Racecourse, Uttoxeter. HIGHLY COMMENDED – Beaconside Conferencing and Events Centre, Stafford. | Rising Star: GOLD – Poppy Gascoine, Desire Cocktail Bar, Stoke-on-Trent. SILVER – Isabella Ranwell, Mangia Mangia Deli, Lichfield. BRONZE – Slava Marynchenko, NSCG College and Lowe’s on Carter Street, Uttoxeter. HIGHLY COMMENDED – Kimberleigh Cyster, National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas. |
| Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year: GOLD – Quarry Walk Park, Alton. HIGHLY COMMENDED – Park Hill Farm, Newcastle-under-Lyme. | Self Catering Accommodation of the Year: GOLD – Ford Wetley Cottage, near Leek. SILVER – Eagle’s Nest Apartment, Eagle House Apartment, Eccleshall. JOINT BRONZE – ABC Boat Hire, Kings Orchard Marina, Lichfield. JOINT BRONZE – Dalraddy Cottage, Cannock Chase. |
| Experience of the Year: GOLD – Rural Retreat Two Night Spa Stay, Hoar Cross Hall, near Burton upon Trent. JOINT SILVER – Polar Bear Experience, Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek. JOINT SILVER – Introduction to Throwing, World of Wedgwood, Barlaston. BRONZE – Moddershall Luxe Spa Stay, Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat, near Stone. HIGHLY COMMENDED – Distillery Tour and Tasting Experience, SIXTOWNS by Bros Distillery, Barlaston. | Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year: GOLD – Walnut House at The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone. JOINT SILVER – Fitzherbert Farmhouse, Swynnerton. JOINT SILVER – Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat, near Stone. JOINT BRONZE – Eagle House, Eccleshall. JOINT BRONZE – The Little George, Eccleshall. JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Black Lion Inn, Butterton, near Leek. JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Upper House Hotel, Barlaston. |
| Food & Drink Retailer/Farm Shop: GOLD – Denstone Hall Farm Shop, near Uttoxeter. SILVER – Mangia Mangia Deli, Lichfield. BRONZE – Titanic Brewery, Stoke-on-Trent. | Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: GOLD – Emma Bridgewater, Stoke-on-Trent. SILVER – Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent. BRONZE – The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme. HIGHLY COMMENDED – WILD Zoological Park, near Wombourne. |
| International Tourism Award: GOLD – World of Wedgwood, Barlaston. SILVER – Courtyard by Marriott Keele, Keele. BRONZE – McArthurGlen West Midlands, Cannock. | Taste of England – Casual Dining Award: GOLD – Thyme Kitchen, near Lichfield. SILVER – The Black Lion Inn, Butterton, near Leek. JOINT BRONZE – Poms, Lichfield. JOINT BRONZE – The Star at Cotton, near Cheadle. HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Royal Oak, Rushton Spencer. |
| Large Hotel of the Year: GOLD – The Tawny Hotel, near Leek. JOINT SILVER – CBeebies Land Hotel, Alton Towers Resort, Alton. JOINT SILVER – Hoar Cross Hall, near Burton upon Trent. JOINT BRONZE – Courtyard by Marriott, Keele. JOINT BRONZE – Doubletree by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent. | Taste of England – Restaurant of the Year: GOLD – The Plumicorn at The Tawny, near Leek. JOINT SILVER – Lowe’s on Carter Street, Uttoxeter. JOINT SILVER – Lunar Restaurant, Barlaston. BRONZE – Larder Brasserie, Lichfield. |
| Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: GOLD – Alton Towers Resort, Alton. JOINT SILVER – National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas. JOINT SILVER – World of Wedgwood, Barlaston. JOINT BRONZE – Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek. JOINT BRONZE – The Trentham Estate, Trentham. | Taste of England – Tea Room & Coffee Shop of the Year: GOLD – Denstone Hall Farm Café, near Uttoxeter. SILVER – World of Wedgwood Tea Room, Barlaston. BRONZE – Poms Barton Marina, Barton-under-Needwood. HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Packing House Café, Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent. |
| New Tourism Business of the Year: GOLD – Hockerhill Playbarn, Brewood. SILVER – Desire Cocktail Bar, Stoke-on-Trent. BRONZE – Whitmore Lakes, Newcastle-under-Lyme. HIGHLY COMMENDED – Philip Astley Project CIC, Newcastle-under-Lyme. | Team of the Year: GOLD – Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat, near Stone. SILVER – Keeper team, Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek. BRONZE – Wedgwood Interactors, World of Wedgwood, Barlaston. HIGHLY COMMENDED – Customer Experience Team, Play @ Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge. |
| Pub of the Year: GOLD – The Fitzherbert Arms, Swynnerton. SILVER – The Knot Inn, Rushton Spencer. JOINT BRONZE – The Little George, Eccleshall. JOINT BRONZE – The Trooper at Wall, Lichfield. HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Littleton Arms, Penkridge. | Unsung Hero Award: GOLD – George Lowe, Lowe’s on Carter Street, Uttoxeter. SILVER – Karen Johnson, Alton Towers Resort, Alton. JOINT BRONZE – Mark Wisdom, Poms Lichfield. JOINT BRONZE – Sophie Galentini, Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn, Brewood. JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED – Duncan Coleman, Trentham Estate. JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED – Keith Harrison, Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford. |
The awards attracted 155 entries, making it a record-breaking year.
The winners of 15 categories progress to represent Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, to be held in early June.
Hayley Coles, cabinet member for culture and communities at Staffordshire County Council, said: “I would like to say a huge well done to all our winners at this year’s awards and how proud I am of them.
“Once again, it’s wonderful to see such a broad mix of winners and runners up, from our larger attractions, like Alton Towers and the National Memorial Arboretum to other smaller independent businesses like Thyme Kitchen and Eagle House, Eccleshall.
“Staffordshire really is a fantastic county to visit and its events like this that help us showcase our amazing tourism offer to a much wider audience. These businesses are the backbone of our economy, supporting jobs and strengthening communities and we’re working hard with them to grow the sector even further. we really are the nation’s playground and the beating heart of the country.”
Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Last night’s Tourism Awards were a great success for the city, with beloved local businesses like World of Wedgwood and Emma Bridgewater winning big.
“Stoke-on-Trent is a fantastic place for tourism, with so many outstanding places that people can visit to enjoy themselves. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees who continue to put our amazing city on the map!”
Did I miss this on the BBC Midlands News, were the TV cameras there ? was it shown ? ?
As someone who eats out at lunchtime twice a week, am very interested in hospitality and venues.
They need all the publicity they can get.
Have even worked as a ‘mystery customer’ !