From a 200-year-old pub to a new steakhouse, from steam engines to motorsports, the city’s finest visitor experiences were acclaimed at the Visit York Tourism Awards on Thursday night (May 8).
Fourteen businesses took the honours at the black tie ceremony held in Station Hall at the National Railway Museum.
Sarah Maltby, director of attractions for The Jorvik Group, was named York Tourism Ambassador in the Viking Centre’s 30th anniversary year.
Growing the group from a single venue into five attractions, Sarah “has been instrumental in showcasing 2,000 years of York’s history for visitors and adding a new dimension to the city’s tourism offer over the past decade”, judges said.
Castle Howard scooped the Visitor Attraction of the Year (over 50,000 visitors) award and the newly redeveloped York MotorSports Village was named Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors).
Newcomer The Whippet Inn Steak and Ale House won Restaurant Of The Year while El Piano was named Café/ Tearoom Of The Year.
Historic pub The Three Tuns, which has traded continuously since 1782, scooped Pub/ Bar Of The Year.
Mallard75 at the National Railway Museum took the prize for Best Visitor Experience for its “Great Gathering”, marking 75 years since Mallard broke the steam speed record.
Raithwaite Estate, a country retreat in Whitby, took the title Hotel of the Year.
It was a public vote which gave Carlton House the award for York’s Best Guest House.
Shopping Experience Of The Year was presented to Pandora York, Conference Venue Of The Year to Novotel York, Self Catering Of The Year to The Old Brewery, and Caravan Park Of The Year to Cawood Holiday Park.
Jade Kelly of Holiday Inn York received the Outstanding Customer Service Award.
The event was the biggest of its kind so far, attended by a record breaking 500 tourism businesses.
“Last year was an exceptional year for tourism in York; we revealed record tourism results with visitor spend exceeding half a billion pounds for the very first time,” said Jane Lady Gibson, chairman of Visit York.
“To achieve this success York needs exceptional people and this is what these awards recognise and celebrate.
“We congratulate Sarah and all our deserving winners and finalists.”
The award winners
Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors)
Winner York MotorSports Village
Highly Commended Goddards, National Trust
Finalists:
Quilt Museum & Gallery
York Cold War Bunker
Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland
Visitor Attraction of the Year (over 50,000 visitors)
Winner Castle Howard
Highly Commended York Maze
Finalists
Beningbrough Hall, Gallery & Gardens
National Railway Museum
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
York Racecourse
Visitor Experience of the Year
Winner Mallard75 – National Railway Museum
Finalists
Hallowscream – York Maze
JORVIK Viking Festival
KABOOM
York Cycle Tour – Scoot Cycling Holidays Ltd
Shopping Experience of the Year
Winner Pandora York
Highly Commended York’s CHOCOLATE Story
Finalists
Monk Bar Model Shop
Now and Then Group
York Cocoa House
Conference Venue of the Year
Winner Novotel York
Finalists
The Merchant Taylors Hall
National Railway Museum
York Conferences – University of York
York Racecourse
Hotel of the Year
Winner Raithwaite Estate
Finalists
Best Western York Pavilion Country House Hotel
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
Novotel York
The Parsonage Hotel & Spa
Self Catering of the Year
Winner The Old Brewery
Finalists
The Dovecote Barns
High Dalby House Cottages
The Old Gallery & Chamber Apartments
The Riverside – York
Wolds Edge Holiday Lodges & Shepherd Hut
Caravan Park of the Year
Winner Cawood Holliday Park
Finalists
Naburn Lock Caravan Park
Robin Hood Caravan Park
Outstanding Customer Service Award
Winner Jade Kelly – Holiday Inn York
Finalists
Greg Palmer, Best Western Monkbar Hotel
Marcus Naylor, The Golden Fleece
Sandra & David Wreglesworth, High Dalby House
Rebecca & Damian Palmer-Bunting, Robin Hood Caravan Park
Jeanette Hutchinson, York Marriott
Restaurant of the Year
Winner The Whippet Inn Steak and Ale House
Highly Commended The Oak Room at Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
Finalists
El Piano
Lascelles Restaurant at The Parsonage Hotel & Spa
The Raj
Cafe/ Tearoom of the Year
Winner El Piano
Finalists
Crumbs Cupcakery
Kafeneion
York Cocoa House
Pub/ Bar of the Year
Winner The Three Tuns
Finalists
The Golden Fleece
Guy Fawkes Inn
House of the Trembling Madness
The Whippet Inn Steak and Ale House
Best B&B – The People’s Choice Award
Winner Carlton House
Finalists
The Bar Convent
Bishops
Deighton Lodge
The Golden Fleece
York Tourism Ambassador
Awarded to Sarah Maltby, The JORVIK Group of Attractions