White Rose Awards, 2008

The Yorkshire tourism industry's best kept secret is out; the White Rose Award winners have been announced! Approximately 500 guests attended this year's glittering awards ceremony to hear who would be going home with one of only 17 highly prized trophies.

Organised annually by Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB), and supported by Yorkshire Forward, yesterday evening's event took place at The Spa Bridlington. The White Rose Awards are a celebration of excellence and underpin YTB's aim to drive up the quality of Yorkshire's tourism industry. The awards are an important accolade for businesses as they bring with them the prestige of associated publicity and are a highly respected symbol of quality for consumers.

For many this is one of the most eagerly anticipated nights of the year. Finalists arrived in their very finest attire to mingle with Yorkshire's tourism stakeholders, businesses and partners. A hush filled the room as BBC presenters Christa Ackroyd and Paul Hudson announced each winner before inviting them on stage for their coveted White Rose Award - which this year was individually handcrafted in silver by Bridlington jeweller Carlo G Verda.

David Andrews, YTB Chief Executive, is delighted with this year's awards:

"Congratulations to all of the winners. To receive a White Rose Award is an indication of the quality standards realised by the recipients. To be a finalist, of which there were over 90, is a great achievement in itself but out of those only 17 have been awarded with a trophy, which is indicative of the levels of excellence those short listed had to aspire to."

Andy Tordoff, Assistant Director of Environment at Yorkshire Forward, commented:

"The White Rose Awards are an excellent way to showcase the high standard of Yorkshire and Humber's tourism industry. I would like to congratulate the finalists and all those who won a prestigious White Rose Award which symbolises excellence and are recognised by the industry and customers alike."

 

WHITE ROSE AWARDS 2008
The full list of winners and finalists by category are:

1. Best Newcomer to Tourism Award (Sponsor: Smarter)*

Winner: Ackroyd House, Holmfirth

Finalists:
5 Leys Holiday Accommodation, Filey
Austwick Hall, Settle
The Black Swan Tearoom & Patisserie, Helmsley
Go Ape! Pickering
Hotel du Vin, York
Old Coach House B&B, North Stainley

2. Outstanding Customer Service Award (Sponsor: First Direct)

Winner: Magna Science Adventure Centre - John Heaps, Rotherham

Finalists:
Holiday Inn Royal Victoria - Tom Ellis, Sheffield
Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel & Country Club, Baildon
Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa - Keith Brooke, Leeds

3. Best Tourism Experience of the Year (Sponsor: Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield)

Winner: www.huntfun.co.uk, York

Finalists:
Jorvik Viking Festival, York
National Coal Mining Museum for England - Santa Underground, Wakefield
Summer Wine Classic Car Hire Ltd, Holmfirth
Visit Hull & East Yorkshire Tourism Partnership - Shop Ahoy Day Trip Package, Hull

4. Tourism Website of the Year (Sponsor: Netconstruct)

Winner: Rudding Park, Harrogate - www.ruddingpark.com

Finalists:
Black Sheep Brewery Visitor Centre, Masham - www.blacksheepbrewery.co.uk
Lightwater Valley Attractions Ltd, North Stainley - www.lightwatervalley.co.uk
Low Penhowe, Burythorpe - www.bedandbreakfastyorkshire.co.uk
Yorkshire Air Museum, York - www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk

5. Taste of Yorkshire Award (Sponsor: Deliciously Yorkshire)

Winner: The Pipe & Glass Inn, South Dalton, Beverley

Finalists:
The General Tarleton, Ferrensby, Knaresborough
Hotel du Vin, Harrogate
Low Penhowe, Burythorpe
Oulton Hall, Oulton
Thorney Mire Barn B&B, Appersett, Hawes

6. Sustainable Tourism Award

Winner: The Deep, Hull

Finalists:
The Devonshire Fell Restaurant with Rooms, Burnsall
The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
Off the Rails, Settle
Starfish Accommodation, Whitby

7. Access for All Tourism Award

Winner: Novotel Sheffield Centre, Sheffield

Finalists:
Easthill Farm House & Gardens, Thornton-le-Dale
Field House Farm Cottages, Bridlington
YHA Whitby, Whitby
Yorkshire Waterways Museum, Goole

8. Tourist Information Service of the Year Award (Sponsor: Carrier Direct Marketing)

Winner: Wakefield TIC
Finalists:
Holmfirth TIC
Knaresborough TIC
Malton TIC
Settle TIC
Skipton TIC

9. Business Tourism Award of the Year (Sponsor: Business Link)

Winner: The Queens Hotel, Leeds

Finalists:
National Media Museum, Bradford
National Railway Museum, York
Royal Armouries (International) Plc - Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds
Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield
Yorkshire South Tourism/Conference Yorkshire South, Sheffield

10. Yorkshire Pub of the Year (Sponsor: British Beer and Pub Association)*

Winner: The Durham Ox, Crayke

Finalists:
Blue Bell Inn Restaurant with Rooms, Weaverthorpe
Dog & Gun, Malsis
The Grouse Inn, Oldfield, Keighley
The Pipe & Glass Inn, South Dalton, Beverley
Ye Old Sun Inn,Colton, Tadcaster

11. Guest Accommodation of the Year (Sponsor: Cumberland Building Society)

Winner: Low Penhowe, Burythorpe

Finalists:
17 Burgate, Pickering
Clow Beck House, Croft on Tees
Thorney Mire Barn B&B, Appersett, Hawes
The Wold Cottage, Wold Newton

12. Self Catering Holiday of the Year (Sponsor: VisitBritain)

Winner: Noelles Cottages, Pickering

Finalists:
Cherrygarth Cottages, Slingsby
Cottage in the Dales, West Burton
Higher Scholes Cottage, Oakworth
Hodgson's Choice, York
The Juniper, York

13. Caravan Holiday Park of the Year

Winner: Far Grange Park, Skipsea

Finalists:
Goosewood Holiday Park, Sutton on the Forest
Hollicarrs, Escrick
Lebberston Touring Park, Lebberston
Skirlington Leisure Park, Skipsea

14. Hotel of the Year (up to 50 bedrooms) (Sponsor: Colliers Robert Barry)

Winner: Dean Court Hotel, York

Finalists:
Holdsworth House Hotel, Halifax
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa, York
Swinton Park, Masham
The White Swan, Pickering

15. Hotel of the Year (35 bedrooms & over) (Sponsor: Streamline)

Winner: Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, Leeds

Finalists:
Best Western Premier Mount Pleasant Hotel, Doncaster
Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough
Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel & Country Club, Baildon
Oulton Hall, Oulton, Leeds
Radisson SAS Hotel, Leeds

16. Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors)

Winner: Wentworth Castle Gardens & Stainborough Park, Barnsley

Finalists:
Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby
DIG - An Archaeological Adventure, York
Filey Museum, Filey
Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre,Marsden

17. Visitor Attraction of the Year (50,000 visitors & over) (Sponsor: Front)

Winner: Harewood House, Leeds

Finalists:
Lightwater Valley Theme Park, Ripon
Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham
National Media Museum, Bradford
National Railway Museum, York
The Deep, Hull

The White Rose Awards for Tourism are supported by VisitBritain, winners in all categories (except those marked with *) will automatically qualify for entry to the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence organised by VisitBritain to be held in Spring 2009.

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