Stars of British tourism recognised at VisitEngland awards

The stars of British tourism were recognised at the annual VisitEngland Awards held at the Bath Assembly Rooms, yesterday evening.

Four red-AA-star Rudding Park in Harrogate was named Hotel of the Year at a ceremony hosted by television's Kirsty Allsopp.

The 90-bedroom hotel, which unveiled a new rooftop spa last year, was awarded the accolade after beating off competition from fellow finalists Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, near Bath, awarded the silver prize, and Seaham Hall in County Durham, which took bronze.

Peter Banks, managing director at Rudding Park said: "I am thrilled Rudding Park is officially the Best Hotel in England and I am proud of the whole team for delivering such high-quality service and care. Our philosophy is to continually invest in the business to ensure the products and services are of the highest standard."

Sally Balcombe, CEO of VisitBritain and VisitEngland added: "The standard of the hundreds of applications we received this year was extremely high and that's why Rudding Park's accolade is a testament to their excellent work."

Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park, in Wiltshire, won the Taste of England Award - the second accolade presented to the hotel in the evening.

Jones joined the country house hotel in 2004 having gained a Michelin star in 2002 while head chef of Foliage at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel.

Claire Randall, managing director at Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, commented: "I am delighted that Lucknam Park has received these two awards. To win Gold for the Taste of England category is a phenomenal achievement for Hywel and the team. I am extremely proud of these latest successes".

Silver in the Taste of England category was taken by Miller's Fish and Chips, in Yorkshire, while bronze was clinched by Askham Hall in Cumbria.

The award for Bed & Breakfast of the Year was presented to Alkham Farmhouse, near Dover, Kent, while Best Tourism Pub was clinched by the Riverside Inn at Aymestrey, near Hereford.

Wendy and Neil Burrows of Alkham Farmhouse told The Caterer: "We're absolutely thrilled, it's quite an honour to receive such a prestigious award.

"Our family run bed and breakfast is located in stunning farmland on the Kent Downs and we very much have a focus on personal service and giving our guests a taste of Kent while enjoying views you could eat for breakfast."

Chef patron of the Riverside Inn, Andy Link said: "To win this prestigious award is a tremendous accolade, and reflects the hard work the entire team puts into the pub. Our guests always come first, and we are keen to create a happy experience overall, from the food and the accommodation, to the warm welcome extended to everyone who visits us."

Rudding Park takes top accolade at Hotel Marketing Association awards>>

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