They have demonstrated ‘perseverance, resilience and creativity’ through an incredibly challenging couple of years to come out on top.
York, meet your tourism champions 2022!
Fifteen awards were given out at the Visit York Tourism Awards 2022 tonight (Thursday), hosted by Ben Fry and Laura Castle of YorkMix Radio.
The event at York Racecourse, sponsored by LNER, began with the all those present giving a round of applause to show York’s support for Ukraine.
And then it was onto the honours, which celebrated individuals and tourism enterprises big and small.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said:
All of the finalists and winners of this year’s Visit York Tourism Awards have a lot to be proud of.
After an incredibly challenging couple of years for our tourism industry, they’ve demonstrated perseverance, resilience and creativity.
We’re so pleased to be able to celebrate their achievements this evening and offer a huge congratulations to all of our winners.
Eligible winners across a number of categories are automatically put forward to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022.
This year’s winners include two awards forGray’s Court and The Bow Room Restaurant, who take the Taste of England award and Small Hotel of the Year with judges commenting on an “outstanding experience”.
New Tourism Business of the Year goes to The Deathly Dark Tours, which judges said had “quickly become one of the most popular tours in York”.
Dorian Deathly is also a finalist for VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar, with the public vote still open until 22 March.
Jorvik Viking Centre took the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year award with judges commenting that the “world-class attraction” scored a “10 out of 10 experience”.
While the Small Attraction of the Year goes to North Yorkshire’s Mother Shipton’s Cave, with judges praising the “magical experience” and the “enthusiasm of the staff”.
York Maze is crowned Event of the Year, with judges “particularly impressed by the constant reinvestment and innovations that make York Maze an excellent summer event year after year.”
York Gin is awarded Shop of the Year, for their “interesting and unique retail experience”, and Drover’s Arms takes Pub of the Year.
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The Grand “once again delivered a true five-star experience for York” winning the Large Hotel of the Year award. Heritage Escapes took Self Catering Accommodation of the Year, with “a near faultless experience”.
Tower Guest House was awarded B&B and Guest House of the Year with the researcher finding “no room for improvement” and Wigwam Holidays Ball Hall Farm takes Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year for being “an impressive venue”.
New awards
This year saw two new awards, including the Resilience & Innovation Award. This honours organisations who have built on their strengths, innovated their business and showed incredible resilience during a difficult time for the industry.
The judges commented that the team at winners The Web Adventure Park has demonstrated incredible resilience: “We were impressed by their grit and determination, with their campaigning on behalf of all indoor soft play areas and with how they put children’s mental health so high on their agenda.”
Also new, the Unsung Hero award recognises an individual who deserves to be applauded for their work and commitment to the industry.
Winner Adam Wardale, general manager at Middletons Hotel, had not only transformed it “into a luxury destination, he has undertaken a number of initiatives to benefit the community such as his work with local prisoners. He is inspiring and a credit to York.”
All the winners
B&B and Guest House of the Year
Winner: Tower Guest House
Finalists: MonkBridge House, Westergate House
Sponsor: Morrell Middleton
Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
Winner: Wigwam Holidays Ball Hall Farm
Finalists: Springwood Shepherd Huts Glamping York, Wolds Walk Glamping
Sponsor: The Fabl
Experience of the Year
Winner: The Bloody Tour of York
Finalists: Castle Howard, The Deathly Dark Tours, The Cookery School at The Grand
Sponsor: Destination Core
Event of the Year
Winner: York Maze
Highly commended: That Jorvik Viking Thing
Finalists: Great Ryedale Maze, York Balloon Fiesta
Sponsor: Rugby League World Cup
Large Hotel of the Year
Winner: The Grand, York
Highly commended: Sandburn Hall Hotel
Finalists: Hotel Indigo York, Middletons Hotel, The Principal York
Sponsor: Streamline Taxis
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Winner: Jorvik Viking Centre
Finalists: The York Dungeon, York Art Gallery, York’s Chocolate Story
Sponsor: YO1 Radio
New Tourism Business of the Year
Winner: The Deathly Dark Tours
Finalists: Malmaison York, Sandburn Hall Hotel, York Riverside Apartments
Sponsor: City Cruises
Pub of the Year
Winner: The Drovers Arms
Finalists: House of Trembling Madness Lendal, House of Trembling Madness Stonegate
Sponsor: Hunter Gee Holroyd
Self Catering Accommodation of the Year
Winner: Heritage Escapes (York)
Finalists: Roomzzz Aparthotels – York City, Staycity Aparthotels, The Enchantment Chamber, The Riverside York
Sponsor: Clarion Housing
Resilience and Innovation Award
Winner: The Web Adventure Park
Finalists: The Deathly Dark Tours, The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub, The North Yorkshire Moors Railway, The Web Adventure Park, Trembling Madness Ltd, York Gin
Sponsor: Fabler & Co
Shop Experience of the Year
Winner: York Gin
Finalists: The Antiques Centre York, York’s Chocolate Story
Sponsor: Fidomoney
Small Hotel of the Year
Winner: Grays Court Hotel & The Bow Room Restaurant
Finalists: Galtres Lodge, The Judge’s Lodging
Sponsor: Hospitality Staffing
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Winner: Mother Shipton’s
Finalists: Fairfax House, York Army Museum
Sponsor: Fowlers of York
Taste of England Award
Winner: The Bow Room Restaurant at Grays Court Hotel
Finalists: Forest at Galtres Lodge, Mr Chippy York, Plush Café, The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub
Sponsor: The York Roast Co
Unsung Hero Award
Winner: Adam Wardale, General Manager at Middletons Hotel
Finalists: Frank Caulfield, Porter at Dean Court Hotel and Norbert Lawrie, Kitchen Porter at Galtres Lodge
Sponsor: LNER