Lancashire Tourism Awards winners revealed

The stars of Lancashire's tourism and hospitality have been honoured at a special awards ceremony.

The 2022 Lancashire Tourism Awards were held at the new Blackpool Conference and Exhibition Centre, with Steve Hoyle of Britain's Got Talent as the guest presenter.

This year’s Special Recognition Award, selected by the judges across all the finalists, was awarded to Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort by Marketing Lancashire’s chair of the board, Andrea Challis.

Earlier in the evening Andrea Challis proudly addressed the audience, for the first time as chair of the board of Marketing Lancashire saying: "I am delighted to be here to celebrate with you all and to help the Marketing Lancashire team champion the very best of the county’s tourism and hospitality businesses. I am honestly in awe of the strength and diversity of our wonderful sector here in Lancashire.

“I have learnt through my involvement with Marketing Lancashire, and the other organisations and initiatives that I am a part of, that we have our own businesses, our own challenges and our own opportunities for growth but when we work together, we can, and we do, achieve so much more.”

Rachel McQueen, chief executive of Marketing Lancashire followed Andrea’s speech with her review of the last year, a year that saw Lancashire ‘fighting back’ from the impact of Covid on the tourism and hospitality sector.

She said: “Success in 2022 was hard fought, hard won, against, quite literally, all the odds. But successes there were, and significant ones too.”

FULL LIST OF FINALISTS AND WINNERS

ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD *

• Brickhouse Farm Holiday Cottages & Lakeside Hub, Hambleton – WINNER
• The Estuary Riverside Chalets, Hambleton
• Fleetwood Beach Wheelchairs
• Thornton Hall Country Park, Thornton-in-Craven

BUSINESS EVENTS VENUE OF THE YEAR *

• Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley
• Ewood Experience, Blackburn
• Merlin Events, Blackpool – WINNER
• The Wellbeing Farm, Edgworth
• Winter Gardens Blackpool

CAMPING, GLAMPING AND HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR *

• Hedgerow Luxury Glamping, Newsholme
• Newton Hall Holiday Park, Blackpool
• Ribble Valley Retreat, Langho – WINNER
• The Secret Garden Glamping, Skelmersdale
• Stanley Villa Farm Fishing & Camping, Greenhalgh

CULTURAL VENUE/ORGANISATION AWARD

• Lancaster Grand Theatre
• Samlesbury Hall
• Winter Gardens Blackpool – WINNER

DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

• Bella Vista Lodge, Blackpool
• The Golden Ball of Longton
• HAPPA, Shores Hey Farm, Briercliffe
• The Lawrence Hotel, Padiham – WINNER
• Mowbreck Holiday Park, Wesham

ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD *

• Hedgerow Luxury Glamping, Newsholme – WINNER
• Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat, Slaidburn
• The Wellbeing Farm, Edgworth

EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR *

• Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach ‘Walk The…’ Experiences – WINNER
• Countryside & Culinary Breaks at Dale House Barn, Slaidburn
• Goosnargh Gin School Experience Days
• Inch Perfect Trials Experience Day, Whitewell

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM STUDENT OF THE YEAR

• Steven Cartmell, BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Travel & Tourism at Blackpool Sixth Form College
• Sophie Lancaster, NCFE Extended Diploma Travel & Tourism at Runshaw College
• Charlie Nicholls, C&G L3 Diploma in Professional Cookery at Blackpool and the Fylde College – WINNER
• David Wetherill, Chef Diploma at Runshaw College

HOTEL WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR

• Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley
• Mitton Hall, Mitton – WINNER
• Mytton Fold Hotel, Langho
• Stanley House Hotel & Spa, Mellor

LANCASHIRE PERFECT STAY – SMALL SERVICED ACCOMMODATION *

• 3 Millstones Inn, West Bradford
• Dale House Barn and B&B, Slaidburn
• Fence Gate Lodge, Fence – WINNER
• The Lawrence Hotel, Padiham
• The Royal at Heysham

LARGE EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD

• British Textile Biennial, East Lancashire
• Christmas by the Sea, Blackpool
• Highest Point Festival, Lancaster – WINNER
• Santa Specials at East Lancashire Railway

LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR *

• Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley
• Foxfields Country Hotel, Whalley
• Hampton by Hilton Blackpool – WINNER
• Mytton Fold Hotel, Langho

NEW TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR *

• The Estuary Riverside Chalets, Hambleton
• Ribble Valley Retreat, Langho – WINNER

PUB OF THE YEAR *

• PLAU, Preston – WINNER
• Shireburn Arms, Hurst Green
• White Bull Oswaldtwistle

RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION AWARD *

• The Secret Garden Glamping, Skelmersdale
• The Whitehall Hotel & Distillery, Darwen – WINNER
• Winter Gardens Blackpool

SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR *

• Brickhouse Holiday Cottages, Hambleton
• Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat, Clitheroe
• Oakdean Cottages, Langho – WINNER

SMALL EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD

• British Country Music Festival, Blackpool
• Chorley Flower Show
• Dino Fest, Lancaster
• Pumpkin Festival at Ridgeway Farm, Blackpool
• Thornton Hall Christmas Adventure, Thornton-in-Craven – WINNER

TASTE LANCASHIRE AWARD *

• 263 Restaurant, Preston – WINNER
• The Coach and Horses, Bolton-by-Bowland
• La Locanda, Gisburn

TASTE LANCASHIRE PRODUCER AWARD

• Brindle Distillery, Chorley – WINNER
• Goosnargh Gin
• Lancaster Brewery Spirits Company
• Morecambe Bay Chowder

UNSUNG HERO AWARD

• Jenna Bullows, Assistant Manager, The Whitehall Hotel and Distillery
• Sharon Jones, Hall Director, Samlesbury Hall
• Jeremy Rowlands, Managing Director, Meat & Drink – WINNER

VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR *

• The Blackpool Tower
• The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre, Brock – WINNER
• Thornton Hall Country Park, Thornton-in-Craven

WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR

• The Mount Pavilion, Fleetwood
• The Out Barn, Waddington – WINNER
• Samlesbury Hall
• The Wellbeing Farm, Edgworth

* The winners of these categories will have the opportunity to represent Lancashire in the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023 competition – subject to meeting criteria.