Looking for best in Britain
BARBARA HODGSON LOOKS AT NORTH EAST CONTENDERS HOPING TO BE VOTED TOP IN TOURISM AWARDS
BEAMISH is among attractions across the North East which have been short-listed in the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
Tourist bosses are set to be delighted at news that venues ranging from the County Durham museum to a pub in Northumberland are in the running for a national title.
The annual awards celebrate the best in English tourism and the newly-announced shortlist signals out six local attractions, including a bed-and-breakfast, a hotel and even a tour guide company.
Each now faces competition from at least two similar rival businesses from across the country.
Once judges have weighed up the options and reached their decisions, the next step will be the awards ceremony to announce the winners.
If our visitor hot-spots are successful, the awards will prove a boost to the North East which already has good news to celebrate, with the announcement that Durham Cathedral has just won BBC Countryfile Magazine’s Heritage Site of the Year Award.
Now the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence are the next glitzy event in sight. They will take place on the afternoon of April 24 at the Hilton Waldorf Hotel in London.
Here’s the run-down on who’s up for what:
FAMILY FRIENDLY ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR
Beamish
The Living Museum of the North in County Durham has plenty experience of being shortlisted for and winning - awards. It is also currently shortlisted in two categories in the ACE awards which rewards training opportunities in the cultural and heritage sector.
Last year in won a bronze award at VisitEngland in the Large Visitor Attraction category. This time it is going head to head with Gallery Oldham in Greater Lancashire and the Thames Rockets river experience in London.
BED AND BREAKFAST OF THE YEAR
St Cuthbert’s House
This luxury B&B in a 200-year-old former chapel in Seahouses, Northumberland, is already a previous VisitEngland gold medal award-winner and was voted England’s Best B&B in 2014. To pull top spot off again it has to see off competition from similar business in Dorset and North Yorkshire.
BUSINESS TOURISM PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa The 60-bedroom luxury Darlington attraction in County Durham is also a gold medal winner at the awards. Winner in the Large Hotel category in 2016, it now faces hotels in London and Warwickshire in the competition.
GREAT CHINA WELCOME OF YEAR
Beiwei 55 Degrees Travel Ltd Judges have signalled out the Newcastle branch of the company which offers private and public tours in Chinese. Now they have to pick a winner from a group of four which also includes Blenheim Palace; Lake District China Forum, and The Lowry Hotel in Greater Manchester.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD
Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant
In the village of Wark, near Hexham in Northumberland, this hotel and pub boast locally-sourced food on the menu, including their our own home-grown fruit and vegetables.
Its in a diverse category with competition coming from the Blencathra Centre in Keswick and Devon’s National Marine Aquarium.
TOURISM PUB OF THE YEAR
The Tankerville Arms This traditional country inn, which serves up real ale, good food and a warm welcome - including for dogs - is in the village of Eglingham, near Alnwick in Northumberland. It faces rivals in similar lines of business in West Dorset and Warwickshire.