Fabulous cheese, Christmas ice skating and mad clowns with chainsaws – York’s incredibly diverse tourist sector was reflected in the winners of the Visit York Awards.
The best in tourism gathered in the National Railway Museum’s Grand Station Hall for the 18th awards on Wednesday night (June 3).
Biggest winner of the night was York Maze, which took home three awards, including large Visitor Attraction of the Year and Visitor Experience for that clown-with-chainsaw fright-fest Hallowscream.
Love Cheese on Gillygate is the Shopping Experience of the Year while real ale have the Blue Boar on Castlegate was named top pub or bar.
This year, the title of York Tourism Ambassador was awarded to Roger Lee, Bedern Hall director and chairman of the York Festival Trust which stages the Mystery Plays.
‘Exceptional people’
The Black Swan Hotel, Helmsley, was named Hotel of the Year, while the Café/Tearoom of the Year is vegan haven El Piano. Sumptuous 18th century manor house Middlethorpe Hall & Spa is Restaurant of the Year.
Donna Price was awarded the Outstanding Customer Service Award for her work at the Hilton Hotel on Tower Street.
Conference Venue of the Year went to York Racecourse while skating and hot chocolate haven Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland is Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors).
Kate McMullen, Make It York’s head of consumer products and marketing, said:
The 2015 winners
Bed & Breakfast of the Year: Bishops Guest House
Finalists
Carr House Farm
No. 21 York
Café/Tearoom of the Year: El Piano
Finalists
Cakes d’Licious
Kafeneion
Nunnington Hall
UGOT
Caravan Park of the Year: Robin Hood Caravan Park
Finalists
Cawood Holiday Park
Conference Venue of the Year: York Racecourse
Finalists
National Railway Museum
Scarborough Spa
York Conferences
York Science Park Ltd
Family Friendly Experience of the Year: York Maze
Finalists
DIG – An Archaeological Adventure
JORVIK Viking Centre
Novotel
The Web Adventure Park
York Racecourse
Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland
Hotel of the Year: The Black Swan Hotel, Helmsley
Finalists
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
Middleton’s Hotel
The Judge’s Lodgings
York Marriott Hotel
Outstanding Customer Service Award: Donna Pryce, Hilton Hotel
Finalists
Deighton Lodge – Jennifer Marsden
The Whippet Inn Steak and Alehouse – Morgan McDermott
York Museums Trust – Thomas Jacobs
The team at Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland
The team at York Maze
Pub/Bar of the Year: The Blue Boar
Finalists
The Golden Fleece
The House of Trembling Madness
Walmgate Ale House & Bistro
The Drovers Arms
Restaurant of the Year: Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
Finalists
Hudson’s restaurant – Grand Hotel & Spa
Mumbai Lounge
The Star Inn The City
The Whippet Inn Steak and Alehouse
Self-Catering Venue of the Year: The Dovecote Barns
Finalists
Lendal Tower
Wolds Edge Holiday lodges
York Hop Store
Street Farm Cottages
Shopping Experience of the Year: Love Cheese
Finalists
Pandora York
York’s Chocolate Story
York Does Vintage – Now & Then Events
Visitor Attraction of the Year (over 50K visitors): York Maze
Finalists
Beningbrough Hall, Gallery & Gardens – The National Trust
Nunnington Hall – The National Trust
York’s Chocolate Story
Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50K visitors): Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland
Finalists
Goddard’s House and Gardens – The National Trust
The Richard III and Henry VII Experiences – the JORVIK Group
The World of James Herriot
Visitor Experience of the Year: York Maze – HallowScream
Finalists
Wild Harvest
Yorkshire Food Finder
Yorkshire Museums Trust – York Castle Museum
York Racecourse
York Tourism Ambassador: Roger Lee
