Tourism celebrates in style after two long years

By - South West Tourism Awards - 11th April 2022

Success

Leading tourism businesses from across South West England were celebrated in style as over 90 awards were presented at the 2021/22 South West Tourism Excellence Awards.

The event was the first time since February 2020 that the region’s tourism awards have been able to return to their face-to-face format, with a celebratory dinner April enjoyed by over 300 winners, supporters and tourism leaders.

The awards saw 476 entries from the region including Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Bath, Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The Awards, which themselves won a national accolade in 2021, achieving the ‘Outstanding’ accolade in the Awards Trust Mark scheme, are the culmination of 11 months of evidence gathering, online entry, judging and county awards. In what has been another difficult year for tourism they are recognised for their rigour and independence of judging. Over 70 judges spent months poring over entry submissions, websites, social media and review sites, as well as carrying out business visits, many of them mystery visits. Reports and recommendations were then submitted to an independent panel who made the final decisions.

All forms of hospitality business were amongst the winners, with cafes, pubs, cookery schools and sailing schools all celebrating alongside attractions, camping and glamping sites, holiday parks, B&Bs, cottages and hotels. Many have also been nominated to represent the South West in the national VisitEngland awards later in the year.

Jo Ecroyd, Customer Service Director of headline sponsor South West Water, said: “The South West is home to 860 miles of beautiful coastline and wonderful beaches which are major draws for the millions of visitors to our region each year. In 2021, for the first time ever, 100% of our classified coastal bathing waters passed stringent standards, meaning our regions beaches can proudly take their place as amongst the best in Europe. We are delighted to support the South West Tourism Awards which shine a spotlight on the best tourism businesses right across our region. The resilience and adaptability of the tourism industry over the last couple of years is inspirational, it is wonderful to be back together in person for this year’s Awards. Congratulations to all.”

Robin Barker, Director of Services for Tourism Ltd, who manage the Awards, added: “What a night! Tourism is known as ‘the happiness industry’ and last night showed everyone why, with friends, colleagues and competitors all reunited to join in the celebrations after two years of being kept apart. Congratulations to everyone who has continued to excel and innovate despite the countless hurdles.”

Co-Director Nell Barrington added: “I am so thrilled that we are all able to come together at Sandy Park for our first South West awards ceremony in two years. After such a terrible time for tourism, hospitality and indeed everyone it is great to be able to share the successes of all these amazing businesses in person. Congratulations to them all.”

2021/22 SOUTH WEST TOURISM AWARDS

WINNERS & COMMENDED (in alphabetic order)

Sponsored by South West Water

ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD, sponsored by Soundview

Gold

· Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, Cornwall, @mylorsailing

Silver

· WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Glos, @WWTSlimbridge

Bronze

· Leafy Fields Glamping, Devon, @LeafyFields

· Stonehenge, Wilts, @EH_Stonehenge

Commended

· Sara’s Cottage, Cornwall, @SarasCottage

· Seaton Tramway, Devon, @SeatonTramway

B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by The Samphire Club

Gold

· The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon, @The25Torquay

Silver

· Chelsea House, Cornwall

Bronze

· Brightham House Boutique Bed and Breakfast, Devon, @BrighthamHouse

· St John’s Guest House, Dorset, @Fishersdream

BUSINESS EVENTS & WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Clockwork Marketing

Gold

· Treseren, Cornwall, @TreserenC

Silver

· Highcliffe Castle, Dorset, @HighcliffeC

Bronze

· Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wilts, @LucknamPark

· Marsham Court Hotel, Dorset, @MarshamCourt

CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Granny Gothards

Gold

· Picnic Park Deli, Dorset @picnicparkdeli

Silver

· The Purplespoon Café, Somerset, @purplespoonage

Bronze

· The Nectary Restaurant, Devon, @quincehoneyfarm

CAMPING AND CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR sponsored by Anytime Booking

Gold

· Monkton Wyld Holiday Park, Dorset, @Monkton_Wyld

Silver

· Trevalgan Touring Park, Cornwall, @trevalgan

Bronze

· South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Dorset, @campsitedorset

Commended

· Harford Bridge Holiday Park, Devon, @HarfordBridge

· Petruth Paddocks Campsite, Somerset, @Petruthcamping

CASUAL DINING AWARD, sponsored by NFU Mutual

Gold

· Bango Kitchen, Cornwall, @TheShellfishPig

Silver

· The Rockpool, Cornwall

Bronze

· The Coconut Tree, Bristol @CoconutTreeUK

· The Scallop Shell, Bath, @thescallopshell

DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, sponsored by VisitWest

Gold

· Gwelmor, Cornwall, @gwelmor

Silver

· Homewood, Bath, @homewoodbath

Bronze

· Kilminorth Cottages, Cornwall, @kilminorth

Commended

· eat:Festivals, @EatFestivals

ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD, sponsored by South West Water

Gold

· West Bay Discovery Centre, Dorset, @WestBayDC

Silver

· Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Devon, @RAMMuseum

Bronze

· Dorset Forest Garden Glamping, Dorset

· Whatley Manor Hotel and Spa, Wilts, @Whatley_Manor

Commended

· Holi Moli Beach Hut, Somerset, @DunsterBeachHut

· Little Gwendreath Holiday Cottages, Cornwall

EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR (ACTIVE OR LEARNING), sponsored by Beyonk

Gold

· Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School, Cornwall, @mylorsailing

Silver

· All Hallows Farmhouse Cookery School, Dorset

Bronze

· Bath Insider Tours – Tour of Bath, Bath, @bathinsidertour

· Jurassic Coast Guides, Dorset, @jurassicguides

Commended

· Crag 2 Mountain, Devon

· Mad Max Tours, Bath, @madmaxtours

· Shore Campers – Campervan Hire, Dorset, @ShoreCampers

GLAMPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Anytime Booking

Gold

· Longlands Devon, Devon

Silver

· Brackenhill Glamping, Devon, @Brackenhill_G

Bronze

· Pengelly Retreat, Cornwall, @ruthie_pengelly

Commended

· Ekopod, Cornwall

· The Hudnalls Hideout, Glos

HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Stephens Scown solicitors

Gold

· Highlands End Holiday Park, Dorset, @WDLH

Silver

· Golden Cap Holiday Park, Dorset, @WDLH

· Warren Farm Holiday Centre, Somerset, @warren_farm

Bronze

· Cofton Holidays, Devon, @Cofton_Holidays

Commended

· Hoburne Devon Bay, Devon, @hoburneholidays

· Waterside Holiday Park & Spa, Dorset, @watersidedorset

LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Hotel Perfect

Gold

· The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa, Bath, @royalcrescent

Silver

· Carlyon Bay Hotel, Cornwall, @CarlyonBayHotel

Bronze

· Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort, Wilts, @BowoodUK

· Marsham Court Hotel, Dorset, @MarshamCourt

LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Love to Visit

Gold

· The Minack Theatre, Cornwall, @minacktheatre

Silver

· Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Dorset, @moorsvalley

· Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, Somerset, @Noahs_Ark_Zoo

Bronze

· Dorset Museum, Dorset, @DorsetMuseum

NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD, sponsored by PayDough.Me

Gold

· Three Mile Beach, Cornwall, @ThreeMileBeach

Silver

· Carey’s Secret Garden, Dorset @CareysSecret

Bronze

· Bear Town, Devon

· Higher Pendeen Camping, Cornwall

Commended

· Brackenhill Glamping, Devon, @Brackenhill_G

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SOUTH WEST TOURISM, sponsored by The South West Tourism Alliance

· Kurt Janson, The Tourism Alliance, @tourismvoice

PUB OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Sea Arch

Gold

· The Cotley Inn, Somerset

Silver

· The Acorn Inn, Dorset, @Acorn_Inn

Bronze

· The Dartmoor Inn at Lydford, Devon

· The Swan, Wedmore, Somerset, @TheSwanWedmore

RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION AWARD, sponsored by Quality in Tourism

Gold

· Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park and Martha’s Orchard, Cornwall, @MotherIveysBay & @MarthasOrchard

Silver

· Exmoor Character Cottages, Somerset, @CottagesExmoor

Bronze

· Breaking Bread, Bristol, @BreadBristol

Commended

· Ocean Adventurers, Somerset

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Plymouth Gin

Gold

· The Idle Rocks Restaurant, Cornwall, @TheIdleRocks

Silver

· The Olive Tree Restaurant, Bath, @OliveTreeBath

Bronze

· Hotel Meudon, Cornwall, @MeudonHotel

· The Angel – Taste of Devon, Devon, @theangeldevon

SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Touch Stay

Gold

· The Cottages at Blackadon Farm, Devon

Silver

· Pitt Farm Holiday Cottages, Devon

Bronze

· Eco Chic Cottages – Culls Cottage, Glos, @EcoChicCottages

· Glynn Barton, Cornwall, @glynnbarton

Commended

· Bidwell Farm Cottages, Devon, @bidwellfarm

· Middlewick Holiday Cottages, Somerset, @TheMiddlewick

SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR, sponsored by pkf Francis Clark

Gold

· The Idle Rocks, Cornwall, @TheIdleRocks

Silver

· No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath

Bronze

· Cary Arms & Spa, Devon, @CaryArms

· Dunkery Beacon Country House Hotel, Somerset, @DunkeryBeaconCH

SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Pear Marketing

Gold

· Nothe Fort, Dorset, @NotheFort

Silver

· PK Porthcurno, Cornwall, @PKPorthcurno

Bronze

· Corinium Museum, Glos, @CoriniumMuseum

· No.1 Royal Crescent, Bath, @No1Museum

Commended

· Bear Town, Devon

· Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, Devon, @TivertonMuseum

SPA & WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR, sponsored by The Eco Laundry

Gold

· St Michaels Resort, Cornwall, @stmichaelsresort

Silver

· Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, Wilts, @LucknamPark

Bronze

· Lincombe Hall Hotel, Devon, @lincombe_hall

· No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath

Commended

· Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa, Devon, @Harbour_Hotels

TOURISM EVENT / FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Sunflower Social Media

Gold

· Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Bristol, @bristolballoon

Silver

· Great Britain Sail Grand Prix, Devon, @visitplymouth

Bronze

· FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition: Sculpture by the Lakes, Dorset, @SculptureLakes

UNSUNG HERO AWARD, sponsored by Plymouth Britain’s Ocean City

· Ali Marshall, Torre Abbey, Devon, @TorreAbbey

· Christine Hughes, Moors Valley Country Park & Forest, Dorset, @moorsvalley

· Emma Fashokun, Cornish Gems, Cornwall, @Cornish_Gems

· Jake Tyler - Tropiquaria, Somerset @Tropiquaria_Zoo

VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR in partnership with South West Coast Path Association

Gold

· Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre - Princetown, Devon, @VisitDartmoor

Silver

· South Somerset Visitor Information Centre and Gift Shop, Somerset, @VisitSSomerset

Bronze

· Exmoor National Park Centre - Dunster, Somerset, @ExmoorNPCs

· Plymouth Tourist Information Centre, Devon, @visitplymouth

WATER CONSERVATION AWARD, sponsored by South West Water

· Treloy Touring Park, Cornwall

After such a terrible time for tourism, hospitality and indeed everyone it is great to be able to share the successes of all these amazing businesses in person. Congratulations to them all.

- Nell Barrington, Co-organiser