SOUTH WEST CELEBRATES 107 WINNERS
After a record year for the Tourism Awards it was fitting for the annual celebration to return to the splendour of Exeter Cathedral to recognise the region’s most excellent tourism businesses.
With 374 guests booked, it was the biggest annual regional gathering of South West tourism businesses, with 107 different awards presented following a rigorous judging process in which a record 773 entries were considered. Before the awards commenced the audience were delighted to witness a ‘Haka’ from the children of Ilsington CofE Primary School and to hear about the Cathedral’s central role in the community from the Very Reverend Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter.
Given the South West’s position as England’s top region for rugby, guests were then treated to a conversation on ‘winning’ from Kai Horstmann and Greg Holmes, both of them Exeter Chiefs players and former internationals.
There was a special Outstanding Contribution award given to Martin Cox, Director of West Dorset Leisure Holidays, in recognition of his decades of support and innovation for the holiday park sector, Dorset and the wider South West region.
Entries into the Awards broke all records, aided by a new easy-to-use online application process and a series of excellence workshops helping businesses take their businesses to new heights. Winners were spread across the whole region from Wiltshire and Dorset in the east, to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the west, and from Devon in the south to Somerset, Bristol, Bath and Gloucestershire in the north.
All entrants in the South West underwent a rigorous short-listing process with 559 being visited by a team of 50 mystery shoppers. Entry was free, and all entrants received feedback, valued by entrants as a top reason for taking part.
Top performers in matching categories will now go on to be nominated for the national VisitEngland Awards, with the potential to become national winners in summer 2020.
Jeremy Mitchell, marketing and communications director, St Austell Brewery – headline sponsor of this year’s South West Tourism Awards says: “There are so many businesses and individuals in our region that deserve to be recognised for their outstanding contribution and world-class hospitality. We’d like to congratulate those who were awarded for their best practice, hard work and excellent service.
“It was a fantastic night of celebration and all of the winners should feel extremely proud of all that they continue to achieve.”
Awards organiser, Robin Barker of Services for Tourism, said: “I never cease to be amazed by the innovation, dedication and imagination of our tourism businesses – not to mention their sheer hard work. It’s humbling to be part of this and I’d like to add my congratulations to all the winners.”
Dean of Exeter, the Very Revd Jonathan Greener, a guest speaker at the awards, devised a special grace for the night:
“We welcome you all to the best building in Devon
And hope that our evening’s a foretaste of heaven
The whole of the country knows the south west
Exemplifies all that in tourism is best
We gather tonight and we celebrate
Those visitor services that are first rate
So thank you, dear Lord, for our drink and our dinner
And help everyone here to be a great winner.”
2019/20 WINNERS & COMMENDED (in alphabetic order)
Sponsored by St Austell Brewery, staustellbrewery.co.uk
ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD, sponsored by Purple Cloud Consultancy, purplecloudconsultancy.co.uk
Gold
- The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath romanbaths.co.uk @RomanBathsBath
Silver
- Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, Cornwall, mylorsailingschool.co.uk, @mylorsailing
- North Hayne Farm Cottages, Devon northhaynefarmcottages.co.uk @NorthHayne
Bronze
- Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve, Dorset, durlston.co.uk @DurlstonCP
Commended
- Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucestershire, gloucestercathedral.org.uk @ProjectPilgrim1
- Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, Wraxall noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk @noahs_ark_zoo
ACTIVE AND SPORTING EXPERIENCE AWARD, sponsored by Global, global.com
Gold
- Wild Wookey, Somerset wildwookey.co.uk, @wildwookey
Silver
- Go Skydive, Wiltshire goskydive.com @GoSkydiveUK
Bronze
- Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre, Somerset millonthebrue.co.uk @millonthebrue
- Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, Cornwall, mylorsailingschool.co.uk, @mylorsailing
Commended
- Adventure Okehampton, Devon adventureokehampton.com @adventureOke
- Bude Canoe Experience, Cornwall, budecanoeexperience.co.uk, @budecanoe
- Calvert Trust Exmoor, Devon calvertexmoor.org.uk @CalvertExmoor
- Reach Outdoors, Devon, reach-outdoors.com @reach_outdoors
B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Quality in Tourism, qualityintourism.com
Gold
- The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon the25.uk @The25Torquay
Silver
- Trevose Harbour House, Cornwall trevosehouse.co.uk, @TREVOSEHOUSE
Bronze
- Pentillie Castle & Estate, Cornwall, pentillie.co.uk, @PentillieCastle
- Yarner House, Devon yarner.com @Yarnerhouse
Commended
- Driftwood B&B, Devon driftwoodbandb.co.uk @brixham_b
- The Old Stables Bed & Breakfast, Somerset theoldstablesbandb.com @oldstablesbandb
BUSINESS EVENT VENUE OF THE YEAR, , sponsored by Elavon, elavon.co.uk
Gold
- Assembly Rooms, Bath bathvenues.co.uk/venues/assembly-rooms @bathvenues
Silver
- Event Exeter, Devon event.exeter.ac.uk @eventexeter
- The Headland Cornwall, Cornwall headlandhotel.co.uk, @HeadlandHotel
Bronze
- Marsham Court Hotel, Dorset marshamcourthotel.co.uk @MarshamCourt
CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR sponsored by Owens Coffee, owenscoffee.com
Gold
- Yellow Bicycle Café, Dorset facebook.com/yellowbicyclecafe @yellowbicycle1
Silver
- Boscastle Farmshop & Café, Cornwall boscastlefarmshop.co.uk, @ BFS2K18
Bronze
- St Mawgan Tea Room and Garden, Cornwall stmawganvillagestores.co.uk
- The Gallery Café, Dorset gallerycafe.uk
Commended
- Teacup Tearoom, Cornwall, teacuptearoom.com, @teacup_tearoom
- The Blitz Tearoom, Somerset theblitz.uk @TheBlitzWSM
CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERSTAR AWARD, sponsored by South West Water Business, swwbusiness.co.uk
- Mark Jackson, The Park Cornwall, Cornwall, theparkcornwall.com, @theparkcornwall
DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Forthglade, forthglade.com
Gold
- Woodland Cottages, Devon woodlandcottages.org.uk @woodlands_devon
Silver
- Holi Moli Beach Hut, Somerset dunsterbeachhut.com @DunsterBeachHut
- Teacup Tearoom, Cornwall teacuptearoom.com, @teacup_tearoom
Bronze
- Wyelets, Gloucestershire wyelets.co.uk
Commended
- The Park Cornwall, Cornwall, theparkcornwall.com/, @theparkcornwall
ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD, sponsored by NFU Mutual, nfumutual.co.uk
Gold
- Mill on the Brue Outdoor Activity Centre, Somerset millonthebrue.co.uk @millonthebrue
Silver
- River Dart Country Park, Devon riverdart.co.uk @RiverDartCP
Bronze
- Bagwell Farm Touring Park, Dorset bagwellfarm.co.uk, @bagwellfarm
- Wheatland Farm, Devon wheatlandfarm.co.uk @WheatlandFarm
Commended
- Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, Bristol noahsarkzoofarm.co.uk @noahs_ark_zoo
- Pentillie Castle & Estate, Cornwall pentillie.co.uk, @PentillieCastle
FORTHGLADE DOG FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Forthglade, forthglade.com
Gold
- The Grove Arms, Dorset grovearms-ludwell.co.uk @TheGroveArms
Silver
- The Halzephron Inn, Cornwall halzephron-inn.co.uk, @InnHalzephron
- The Wheatsheaf, Bath wheatsheafcombehay.com @Wheatsheaf_Bath
Bronze
- The Cadeleigh Arms, Devon thecadeleigharms.com @CadeleighArms
GLAMPING BUSINESS & ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Booking.com, booking.com
Gold
- The Treehouses, Somerset treehouseholidays.co.uk
Silver
- Devon Yurt, Devon devonyurt.co.uk @devonyurt
Bronze
- Devon Dens, Devon devondens.co.uk @woodlanddens
- Esme’s Escape – Luxury Shepherd’s Hut, Somerset esmes-escape.co.uk
- Stocklinch Shepherds Hut, Somerset stocklinchshepherdshut.co.uk
Commended
- Blackdown Yurts, Devon blackdownyurts.co.uk @BlackdownYurts
- Middle Stone Farm Glamping, Somerset middlestonefarm.com
- Penbugle Organic Farm, Cornwall, penbuglefarm.co.uk, @penbugle
HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Stephens Scown solicitors, stephens-scown.co.uk
Gold
- The Park Cornwall, Cornwall theparkcornwall.com, @theparkcornwall
Silver
- Highlands End Holiday Park, Dorset highlandsendholidaypark.co.uk, @wdlh
- Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Devon ladrambay.co.uk @LadramBay
Bronze
- Hendra Holiday Park, Cornwall hendra-holidays.com, @HendraHolidays
Commended
- Cofton Holidays, Devon, coftonholidays.co.uk @cofton_Holidays
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AWARD, sponsored by Simpleview, simpleviewinc.com
Gold
- The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath romanbaths.co.uk @RomanBathsBath
Silver
- Marlborough College School of English & Culture, Wiltshire mcsec.co.uk @MCol_Summer
Bronze
- Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves, Devon kents-cavern.co.uk @Kents_Cavern
- Select South West Tours, Devon & Cornwall selectsouthwesttours.com, @selectSWtours
- Dartington International Summer School & Festival, Devon dartington.org/summer-school @DartingtonArts
- Jurassic Coast Guides, Dorset jurassiccoastguides.co.uk, @jurassicguides
- The Babbacombe Hotel, Devon thebabbacombehotel.co.uk
- Travel England Tours Ltd, travelenglandtours.com, @TetTours
LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Hotel Perfect, hotelperfect.co.uk
Gold
- Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire lucknampark.co.uk @LucknamPark
Silver
- St Michaels Resort, Cornwall stmichaelsresort.com, @StMichaelsHotel
Bronze
- Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa, Dorset harbourhotels.co.uk, @Harbour_Hotels
- Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa, Devon salcombe-harbour-hotel.co.uk, @SalcombeHHotel
Commended
- Ellenborough Park, Gloucestershire ellenboroughpark.com @EllenboroughPk
LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Digital Visitor, digitalvisitor.com
Gold
- The Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath romanbaths.co.uk @RomanBathsBath
Silver
- St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall stmichaelsmount.co.uk, @ntmichaelsmount
Bronze
- National Trust Stourhead, Wiltshire nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead @ntstourhead
- Trebah Garden, Cornwall trebahgarden.co.uk, @trebahgarden
Commended
- Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park, Dorset farmerpalmers.co.uk @FarmerPalmers
- The Tank Museum, Dorset tankmuseum.org @TankMuseum
LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR sponsored by The Samphire Club, thesamphireclub.co.uk
Gold
- Bude Canoe Experience, Cornwall budecanoeexperience.co.uk, @budecanoe
Silver
- Sweet Cumin, Somerset sweetcumin.co.uk @sweetcumin
Bronze
- Cornish Wine Tours, Cornwall cornishwinetours.com, @cornishwinetour
- Reach Outdoors, Devon reach-outdoors.com @reach_outdoors
Commended
- Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, Cornwall, mylorsailingschool.co.uk, @mylorsailing
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SOUTH WEST TOURISM, sponsored by Bristol Airport bristolairport.co.uk
- Martin Cox
NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD, sponsored by Soundview, soundviewmedia.co.uk
Gold
- Longstone Lodge and Café, Isles of Scilly, longstonelodge.co.uk, @longstonelodge
Silver
- West Bay Discovery Centre, Dorset westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk @WestBayDC
Bronze
- Hayley’s Hut, Devon classicglamping.co.uk/glamping-site/4231/hayleys-hut @HayleysHut
- The Apartment, Bath apartmentbath.com @apartmentbath_
Commended
- Ekopod, Cornwall ekopod.co.uk
- Treseren, Cornwall treseren.co.uk
PUB OF THE YEAR sponsored by Granny Gothards grannygothards.co.uk
Gold
- Three Horseshoes Pub & Kitchen, Dorset threehorseshoesburtonbradstock.co.uk @the_horseshoes
Silver
- The Waterfront Pub & Dining, Devon waterfront-plymouth.co.uk @Waterfront_plym
Bronze
- The Bell Inn, Gloucestershire thebellinnselsley.com @bellinnselsley
- The Pandora Inn, Cornwall pandorainn.com, @PandoraInn
Commended
- The Bear and Blacksmith, Devon thebearandblacksmith.com @BearBlacksmith
- The Litton, Somerset thelitton.co.uk @thelitton
RESTAURANT/BISTRO OF THE YEAR sponsored by Hospitality Growth, hospitality-growth.co.uk
Gold
- The Dining Room – Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire whatleymanor.com/eat-drink @Whatley_Manor
Silver
- Harry’s Restaurant, Devon harrysrestaurants.co.uk @HarrysExeter
Bronze
- Menu Gordon Jones, Bath menugordonjones.co.uk @MenuGordonJones
- The Olive Tree Restaurant, Bath olivetreebath.co.uk @olivetreebath
Commended
- Great Western Restaurant at Bovey Castle, Devon boveycastle.com @BoveyCastle
- The Brasserie by Lucknam Park, Wiltshire lucknampark.co.uk @LucknamPark
SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR, sponsored by pkf Francis Clark, pkf-francisclark.co.uk
Gold
- Glynn Barton Cottages, Cornwall glynnbarton.co.uk, @glynnbarton
- North Hayne Farm Cottages, Devon northhaynefarmcottages.co.uk @NorthHayne
Silver
- Holi Moli Beach Hut, Somerset dunsterbeachhut.com @DunsterBeachHut
Bronze
- Greenwood Grange, Dorset greenwoodgrange.co.uk @GreenwoodGrang1
Commended
- Ravendere Retreats, Devon ravendere.co.uk
- Sail Lofts – St Ives Ltd, Cornwall thesaillofts.co.uk @TheSailLofts
SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Buckleigh Linen Services, buckleigh.co.uk
Gold
- Paschoe House, Devon paschoehouse.co.uk @paschoehouse
Silver
- Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa, Wiltshire whatleymanor.com @Whatley_Manor
Bronze
- Cary Arms & Spa, Devon caryarms.co.uk, @caryarms
- The PIG near Bath, Bath thepighotel.com @The_Pig_Hotel
Commended
- The Green House Hotel, Dorset thegreenhousehotel.co.uk @Greenhousehotel
SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Pear Communications, pearcommunications.org
Gold
- Salcombe Distilling Co, Devon salcombegin.com @SalcombeGin
Silver
- River Dart Country Park, Devon riverdart.co.uk @RiverDartCP
- Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum, Dorset shirehalldorset.org @ShireHallDorset
- The Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Bath herschelmuseum.org.uk @HerschelMuseum
Commended
- Camel Valley Vineyards, Cornwall camelvalley.com, @camelvalleybob
- Langham Wine Estate, Dorset, langhamwine.co.uk @LanghamWinery
- The Bear Trail, Devon thebeartrail.co.uk @trail_bear
SPA & WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Jarrang, jarrang.com
Gold
- ESPA at Lucknam Park, Wiltshire lucknampark.co.uk @LucknamPark
Silver
- Aquarias Spa at Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa, Wiltshire whatleymanor.com/spa-wellbeing @Whatley_Manor
- St Michaels Resort, Cornwall stmichaelsresort.com/spa, @stmichaelshotel
Bronze
- Mellulah Therapy & Yoga Retreats, Dorset mellulah.co.uk, @mellulahyoga
Commended
- Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa, Dorset, harbourhotels.co.uk, @Harbour_Hotels
- Ilsington Country House Hotel and Spa, Devon ilsington.co.uk @ilsingtonhotel
TOURING CAMPING AND CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Anytime Booking, anytimebooking.co.uk
Gold
- River Dart Country Park, Devon riverdart.co.uk @RiverDartCP
Silver
- Coastal Valley Camp and Crafts, Cornwall coastalvalley.co.uk
- South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Dorset southlytchettmanor.co.uk, @campsitedorset
Bronze
- Harford Bridge Holiday Park, Devon harfordbridge.co.uk @harfordbridge
Commended
- East Fleet Touring Park, Dorset, eastfleet.co.uk
- Stonebridge Farm Caravan Park, Somerset stonebridgefarmcaravanpark.co.uk @stonebridge_cp
TOURISM EVENT/FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR, sponsored by The Met Office, metoffice.gov.uk
Gold
- Bath Christmas Market, Bath bathchristmasmarket.co.uk @bathxmasmarket
Silver
- Porthleven Food Festival, Cornwall porthlevenfoodfestival.com, @PorthlevenFest
Bronze
- Glas-Denbury Music & Arts Festival, Devon glas-denbury.co.uk @GlasdenburyFest
- The Tank Museum - Tankfest, Dorset tankmuseum.org/whats-on/events/tankfest
Commended
- Glastonbury Abbey Medieval Fayre, Somerset, glastonburyabbey.com @GlastonburyAbbe and steamhorseevents.com @SHEventsLtd
- The Great Estate, Cornwall, greatestatefestival.co.uk, @GreatEstateFest
TOURISM INNOVATION AWARD, sponsored by Club Wifi, clubwifi.co.uk
Gold
- Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company – Train of Lights, Devon dsrrbchristmas.co.uk @DartmouthRR
- Tanglewood Table @Tanglewood Kitchen, Isles of Scilly, tanglewoodkitchen.co.uk/tanglewoodtable, @TanglewoodKitch
Silver
- Barley Wood, Somerset barleywood.org @Barley_Wood
- The Lorrens Ladies Spa, Devon lorrensladiesspa.co.uk @LorrensSpa
Bronze
- Yellow Buses, Dorset yellowbuses.co.uk @YellowBuses
VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by MiHi Digital mihidigital.co.uk
Gold
- Swanage Information Centre, Dorset visit-dorset.com/explore/towns/Swanage, @Swanage TIC
Silver
- English Riviera Visitor Information Service, Devon englishriviera.co.uk @EnglishRiviera
- Visit Truro Visitor Information Centre, Cornwall visittruro.org.uk @VisitTruro
Bronze
- Visit Weston VIC, Somerset visit-westonsupermare.com @visitweston
Commended
- Bridport Tourist Information Centre, Dorset bridportandwestbay.co.uk, @bridportTIC
- Glastonbury Information Centre, Somerset glastonbury.uk
WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Clockwork Marketing, www.clock-work.co.uk
Gold
- Boconnoc, Cornwall boconnoc.com, @BoconnocEstate
Silver
- Barley Wood, Somerset barleywood.org @Barley_Wood
Bronze
- Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire lucknampark.co.uk @LucknamPark
Commended
- Kitley House Hotel, Devon kitleyhousehotel.com @kitleyhouse
I never cease to be amazed by the innovation, dedication and imagination of our tourism businesses – not to mention their sheer hard work. It’s humbling to be part of this and I’d like to add my congratulations to all the winners
