The crème-de-la-crème of Staffordshire tourism and hospitality have been crowned at this year’s Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism and Good Food Awards.
Businesses from across the county gathered at the Doubletree by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent, for the glittering black-tie event, hosted by BBC Midlands Today’s Rebecca Wood.
An audience of more than 280 guests saw the winners of 20 categories announced, including National Memorial Arboretum (Large Visitor Attraction of the Year), Lower Drayton Farm (Small Visitor Attraction of the Year), and Lunar (Independent Restaurant of the Year).
The Tawny was named Hotel of the Year, while The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone, was Pub of the Year, and Pom’s Kitchen & Deli in Lichfield won the Tea Room/Coffee Shop of the Year award.
The Experience of the Year went to National Memorial Arboretum, for their Tailor Made Tour, while New Business of the Year was Lunar, and Denstone Hall Farm Shop, near Uttoxeter, was the Food & Drink Retailer/Farm Shop of the Year.
B&B and Guest House of the Year was Black Lion Inn, Butterton, and the Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year award went to Weston Park Holiday Cottages, on the Staffordshire-Shropshire border.
And there were wins for The ‘Stones’ Market, Newcastle-under-Lyme, in the Resilience & Innovation, The Trentham Estate’s Carol Adams in the Unsung Hero categories, and Alton Towers Resort, which was successful in the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism and the Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism categories for the second year running.
There was also a special award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in Staffordshire presented to Colin Sweeney, CEO of Weston Park, in recognition of his work to position the estate as a premier destination.
Philip White, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for tourism at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Our annual tourism awards are an important event that we look forward to each year. They give us a great opportunity to celebrate all those working in the sector to give visitors a great experience of our wonderful county.
“We’re a brilliant visitor destination with so much on offer and I’d like to say a huge congratulations to all the winners and to those highly recommended. It’s great to see such a range of businesses from larger more established attractions to some of our smaller independently owned businesses being recognised.
“They should all be extremely proud of their achievements and the great job they do in attracting more and more visitors, generating millions of pounds per month for our economy and sustaining tens of thousands of jobs.”
The winners of 16 categories progress to represent Staffordshire at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, to be held in June 2023.
Category sponsors at the 2023 Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism & Good Food Awards were Blue Sky Radio, cottages.com, Hoseasons, Pear Marketing, RH Advertising, Service Science, Simpleview Europe, Staffordshire Environmental Quality Mark and We are Staffordshire.
WINNERS – 2023 ENJOY STAFFORDSHIRE TOURISM & GOOD FOOD AWARDS
Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award
Alton Towers Resort – GOLD
The Trentham Estate – SILVER
Beechenhill Farm, Ilam – BRONZE
The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme – HIGHLY COMMENDED
B&B and Guest House of the Year
The Black Lion Inn, Butterton – GOLD
Eagle House, Eccleshall – SILVER
The Little George, Eccleshall – BRONZE
Business Events Venue of the Year
Aspects at the National Memorial Arboretum – GOLD
Keele University Events & Conferencing – SILVER
The Moat House, Acton Trussell – BRONZE
Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year, sponsored by Hoseasons
Quarry Walk Park, near Cheadle – GOLD
Lower Micklin Touring Park, near Denstone – SILVER
ABC Leisure Group Kings Orchard Marina, near Lichfield – BRONZE
Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year
Duck Goose, Leek – GOLD
The Granary, Weston Park – SILVER
The Waterfront, Barton Marina – BRONZE
Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award, sponsored by Staffordshire Environmental Quality Mark
Alton Towers Resort – GOLD
The Black Lion Inn, Butterton – Joint SILVER
The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme – Joint SILVER
Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek – BRONZE
Ramblers Retreat Country Tea Room, Alton – HIGHLY COMMENDED
Experience of the Year, sponsored by Blue Sky Radio
Tailor Made Tour, National Memorial Arboretum – GOLD
Throw A Pot Experience, Love Clay, Stoke-on-Trent – Joint SILVER
Be A Keeper Experience, Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek – Joint SILVER
Breakfast with Monkeys VIP Experience, Trentham Monkey Forest – Joint BRONZE
Go Ape Cannock Chase – Joint BRONZE
Food & Drink Retailer or Farm Shop of the Year
Denstone Hall Farm Shop – GOLD
The Milk Stop, Stafford – SILVER
Gelato & Cakes, Cheadle – BRONZE
Independent Restaurant of the Year
Lunar, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent – GOLD
Hoar Cross Hall, near Burton upon Trent – SILVER
The Dial, Burton upon Trent – BRONZE
No.26 at Aston Marina, Stone – HIGHLY COMMENDED
Large Hotel of the Year
The Tawny, Consall, near Leek – GOLD
Hoar Cross Hall, near Burton upon Trent – SILVER
CBeebies Land Hotel, Alton Towers Resort – SILVER
The Moat House, Acton Trussell – BRONZE
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, sponsored by Pear Marketing
National Memorial Arboretum – GOLD
Alton Towers Resort – SILVER
The Trentham Estate – Joint BRONZE
Peak Wildlife Park – Joint BRONZE
The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery – HIGHLY COMMENDED
New Tourism Business of the Year, sponsored by Simpleview Europe
Lunar, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent – GOLD
Duck Goose, Leek – SILVER
Lumberjaxs Axe Throwing, Tamworth – BRONZE
Jungle Street Kitchen, Lichfield – HIGHLY COMMENDED
Pub of the Year
The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone – GOLD
The Black Lion Inn, Butterton – SILVER
The Tamworth Tap, Tamworth – BRONZE
The Little George, Eccleshall – HIGHLY COMMENDED
Resilience & Innovation Award, sponsored by Service Science Ltd
The ‘Stones’ Market, Newcastle-under-Lyme – GOLD
Duck Goose, Leek – SILVER
Peak Wildlife Park, near Leek – BRONZE
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year, sponsored by Cottages.com
Weston Park Holiday Cottages – GOLD
Lane Head Barns, Onecote, near Leek – Joint SILVER
Beechenhill Farm, Ilam – Joint SILVER
Mayfield Snuggery, Mayfield – BRONZE
Small Hotel of the Year
Walnut House, The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone – GOLD
The Dog & Doublet Inn, Sandon – SILVER
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year, sponsored by RH Advertising Ltd
Play@ Lower Drayton Farm, near Penkridge – GOLD
The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme – SILVER
Foxfield Railway, Blythe Bridge – Joint BRONZE
Dorothy Clive Garden, near Newcastle-under-Lyme – Joint BRONZE
Tea Room & Coffee Shop of the Year
Pom’s Kitchen & Deli, Lichfield – GOLD
Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café – SILVER
Ramblers Retreat Country Tea Room, Alton – BRONZE
Gelato & Cakes, Cheadle – HIGHLY COMMENDED
Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by We Are Staffordshire
Carol Adams, The Trentham Estate – GOLD
Andrew van Buren, Philip Astley Projects CIC – SILVER
Steve Nicholson, Peak Wildlife Park – BRONZE
