2008 EnjoyEngland Awards: and the Oscar goes to…
The 2008 EnjoyEngland Awards for Excellence which recognize the best places to stay and visit in England were announced on April 23, 2008 at St. Georges Hall, Liverpool.
This year’s winners include a sixteenth-century restaurant with rooms, in Devon; Europe’s largest free airshow in Sunderland; an environmentally sustainable villa and restaurant in Norfolk and a children’s attraction and story centre Buckinghamshire. Here are some of the awardees from amongst the sixteen winners.
The Small Hotel of the Year winner was The Devonshire Arms, a country house hotel and spa set on the Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales. Originally a coaching inn dating back over 350 years, the Devonshire Arms is surrounded by open parkland stretching down to the River Wharfe. Chewton Glen which was the winner of the Large Hotel of the Year, is located on the edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire.
The Bed and Breakfast of the Year winner was The Salty Monk in Sidmouth – a sixteenth century restaurant with rooms, that derives its name from its history as a salt house used by Benedictine Monks. Set in the Devonshire countryside, The Salty Monk offers five individually furnished rooms and contemporary English cuisine.
Strattons Hotel and Restaurant in Norfolk and The Cottage Lodge in Brockenhurst, New Forest received a ‘Gold Award’ in the new Sustainable Tourism Award of the Year category. Located a minute’s walk from the historic market town of Swaffham, Strattons Hotel is an elegant Queen Anne villa, with an award-winning restaurant offering fresh, locally-produced seasonal food. The Cottage Lodge is an AA five-star beamed 17th Century Forester’s Cottage and B&B set in the New Forest National Park.
This year’s Caravan Holiday Park of the Year winner was Poston Mill Park – a five-star holiday home development in Golden Valley, Hereford, set in 33 acres of countryside alongside the River Dore.
This year’s Taste of England Award was won by Fifteen Cornwall located in Watergate Bay. Opened in 2006, the restaurant offers an innovative menu of the best seasonal and local produce, talented chefs and views over a beautiful two-mile beach.
Two finalists were presented with ‘Gold’ awards in the Self-Catering Holiday of the Year – The Mill Granary in Lower Teesdale, Co. Durham and Stone Cottage in The Lake District.
Glastonbury Festival organiser, Michael Eavis CBE, scooped the new award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism. The dairy farmer and committed environmentalist was awarded the tourism ‘Oscar’ for hosting the legendary music festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset since the 1970s.
The Business Tourism Award was won by The Emirates Stadium in London.
The Journalist of the Year is Nigel Richardson for his piece entitled ‘Rockin’ all over England’ in The Daily Telegraph bringing to life the colourful history of rock ‘n’ roll in England from its very beginnings in a pub in Liverpool where the Beatles started out.
For further information visit www.enjoyengland.com
By Chitra Mogul
Chitra Mogul
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