Silver Award Winners by Category
Find out more about the shortlisted Silver Award winners and click on the links below to hear their recorded interviews.
Large Hotel of the Year
The Radisson Edwardian Manchester Hotel is built upon the site of the historic Free Trade Hall that was previously home to the Halle Symphony Orchestra. From its position in central Manchester, this 14-story hotel offers splendid views across the urban landscape. This five-star hotel has 263 richly decorated rooms and suites designed for both work and relaxation. There are two restaurants, Alto Terrace that serves breakfast only and Opus One that provides modern British cuisine at both lunch and dinner.
The Dorchester, located on Park Lane at the heart of London’s fashionable Mayfair has 195 rooms, 49 suites and four roof garden suites. All rooms are fitted with the latest technology subtly hidden by comfortable English country house-style furnishings. The décor echoes the hotel’s 1930’s origins and the elegant rooms all boast views of Hyde Park or the hotel’s own landscaped terraces. The hotel has its own spa that provides a range of beauty, grooming and therapeutic treatments for women and men. The hotel’s Afternoon Tea is definitely worth sampling having won the ‘Top London Afternoon Tea Award’ for the third time.
Self-Catering Holiday of the Year
Compton Pool Farm is nestled within 14 acres of warm, tranquil valley in the heart of South Devon. This ancient farm, dating back to the twelfth century, has been converted into nine luxurious cottages each with its own distinctive character. The cottages vary in size, catering for all needs from a romantic weekend for two or sleeping a family of eight.
Tourism Website of the Year
Pennywell Farm is a farm activity park offering families an enjoyable, friendly and memorable day out. The website, which was launched in the summer of 2006 enables potential visitors to get a taste of the Pennywell experience online so they can get an understanding of what is on offer at the park. It is a lively mix of animation, interaction, sound with a real injection of Pennywell fun and enthusiasm featuring Spot, the Farm Dog as he leads visitors around the site.
Small Hotel of the Year
Combe House is a grade one Elizabethan country house set in 3500 acres of unspoilt Devonshire countryside. This charming hotel lies in Gittisham, described by Prince Charles as the "Ideal English Village" and with Arabian horses and pheasants roaming free upon the estate it is easy to see why Combe House has been listed as one of the most romantic hotels in Great Britain.
Hillbark Hotel is a house with a rich history. Grade II listed, it was originally built in 1891. In 1928 it was moved to its present site, brick by brick, finally being completed in 1931. The house contains a variety of interesting features including the Great Hall, which has a 1527 Jacobean fireplace from Sir Walter Raleigh’s house. There are 19 individually designed, lavishly furnished suites and bedrooms in this hotel set in 250 acres of beautiful parkland and overlooking the scenic Dee estuary across to the hills of North Wales.
Meet England Business Tourism Award
Manchester Central is the new name for the International Convention Centre and GMEX, a combination of conference and exhibition facilities that form a unique convention complex right in the heart of the city. Manchester Central has a track record of hosting a wide range of events from intimate corporate functions to large-scale high profile international exhibitions and conferences including the Labour Party Conference in 2006.
Located in 65 acres of beautiful countryside, the Heritage Motor Centre is one of Warwickshire's premier conference venues. The modern Art Deco styled conference centre is situated adjacent to the world's finest collection of historic British cars, and can easily accommodate conferences seating up to 600 delegates. The Heritage Motor Centre can also create a range of challenging activities designed to enhance team-working skills and improve communication.
Caravan Holiday Park of the Year
Seafield Caravan Park, was started in 1955 and grew progressively until 2002 when a major upgrade of the park took place, bringing the pitches to the highest of today’s standards. A large number of water features and shrubbed areas have been introduced to break up the caravan density and to attract wildlife. Situated on the Northumberland Coast, tranquillity is one of the park’s greatest attractions, having resisted the temptation to build bars or evening entertainment centres on site.
Sunset Park is situated Over Wyre on the coastal plain of Lancashire close to Blackpool. It provides traditional caravan holiday homes in the heart of the countryside so guests can relax and unwind. Over the past four years the park has expanded and two new themed areas have been developed. Meadow Point is an exclusive gated community of only 20 timber clad luxury lodges.
Bed and Breakfast / Guest Accommodation of the Year
Boltongate Old Rectory dates from 1360 with later additions in the seventeenth century and again in Victorian times. The house is set in three and a half acres of mature grounds with ample parking space, a duck pond and a lily pond. Situated in the quieter northern lakes, Boltongate Old Rectory provides the perfect base to explore Buttermere, Derwentwater and the magnificent peaks of Siddaw and the Northern Fells of the Lake District.
The Old Manse is approached by a long, sweeping gravel drive bordered with lawns, roses and evergreens. It is located in open countryside on the edge of the village of Chatton, which is halfway between the Cheriot Hills and Northumberland’s Heritage Coast. Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne are within visiting distance.
Clow Beck House is situated in Croft-on-Tees just two miles from Darlington, with Durham just a 30-minute drive away. Now in its 18th season, this family home has been lovingly developed from a two-roomed bed and breakfast to having 13 rooms in total with six individually themed rooms. Clow Beck House boasts to have the most stunning dining room in Yorkshire, where home grown and home cooked food is served.
Sustainable Tourism Award
Fern Cottage Bed and Breakfast is a rural hideaway set in two acres of gardens adjoining conservation land, with extensive views across Bristol and towards Bath. Owners Sue and Pete have always cared about wildlife and the environment. They have introduced lots of measures to reduce their carbon footprint and have already seen a reduction in their water and electricity bills as a result.
Taste of England Award
The Old Bakery is an award winning four-star Silver and 2 AA Rosette Old Bakery restaurant located in the Uphill area of Lincoln, close to Lincoln Cathedral and Castle. Originally built as a bakery in 1837, the property was renovated in 1994 and has retained much of the original bakery features. Its surroundings are rustic, relaxed and informal.
Tourist Information Centre of the Year
Following a £256,000 redevelopment in 2006, the Nottingham Tourism Centre (NTC) is now a state-of-the-art coordinating hub for a countywide TIC network, with a shared identity and vision. It provides visitor information, free accommodation booking, local and national ticket sales and a wide range of locally produced merchandise, including Nottinghamshire made lace, pottery, jewellery, art prints and cards.
Brighton Visitor Centre is located next to Brighton’s most famous historic attraction, the stunning Royal Pavilion and recently moved there in March 2007. The new VIC benefits from a more prominent location with a much higher visitor footfall, in the heart of the city’s cultural quarter and it attracts more genuine visitors and helps to boost admission figures and income for the Royal Pavilion.
Best Tourism Experience of the Year
The Ludlow Marches Food and Drink Festival features more than 120 top quality small independent food and drink producers from the Welsh Marches and offers exciting trails and events as well as a great friendly atmosphere for everyone, whether one is serious foodie or someone who appreciates good food and drink. The festival takes place every year on the Castle Square with its traditional open-air market and the town’s historic castle provides a spectacular backdrop.
Castle Howard has been welcoming visitors for over 300 years and succeeds in making heritage fun for everyone. It offers an extremely high quality visitor experience through excellent interpretation, facilities and customer service. It works hard to appeal to people of all ages implementing an innovative events programme. Castle Howard was open for Christmas for the first time from 6th to 17th December 2006, and again from 24th November to 16th December 2007.
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Rockingham Castle was built by William the Conqueror and was a royal fortress for 450 years. It is surrounded by 12 acres of gardens and the castle’s elevated position means visitors can enjoy stunning views of five counties. There is a circular rose garden and a magnificent wild garden containing over 200 rare species of trees and shrubs. The castle’s rooms are magnificently furnished and cover several periods of history from the Normans and medieval period through to the Victorians.
Forde Abbey and Gardens nestles in the peaceful solitude of the Dorset countryside against the border with Somerset. More than 900 years of history and romance are encapsulated in this elegant former Cistercian monastery and its 30 acres of exquisite award winning gardens. Each part of Forde Abbey's history can be read in the architecture and structure of the house and garden.
Outstanding Customer Service Award
Mick Logg had been a coal miner at Selby Pit for years, but when it sadly closed instead of retiring, he used his retraining funding to develop his personal passion for skiing and became an instructor. In October 2003, at the age of 51, he became a part time instructor for SNO!zone at the new Xscape leisure and extreme sports complex.
The Executive Team at the London Marriott West India Quay have shown remarkable dedication to delivering excellence in customer service following their introduction of innovative guest experience enhancing concepts, which have proved a great success.
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
The Tullie House Museum has been known as Tullie House since the end of the 17th century and once housed the city's main library. In 1990 the museum was modernised and expanded to become interactive, with a further Millennium development in 2001, including the Carlisle Millennium Gallery, which created a special walkway from Carlisle castle.
