Honouring Yorkshire’s tourism royalty

The leading lights of Yorkshire’s powerhouse tourism industry are to be recognised at a major awards ceremony in a year that has seen the county’s profile receive worldwide coverage thanks to the Tour de France.
Winners at last years White Rose Awards, with presenters Christine Talbot (left) and Harry Gration (right).Winners at last years White Rose Awards, with presenters Christine Talbot (left) and Harry Gration (right).
Winners at last years White Rose Awards, with presenters Christine Talbot (left) and Harry Gration (right).

Yorkshire’s leading hotels, guest houses, restaurants and attractions will be celebrated at the event with organisers revealing the shortlist of those in the running for awards.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s White Rose Awards, backed by the Yorkshire Post, are the biggest of their kind in the UK, and will take place in Harrogate in November. Stars from screen and sport will be there, including cast members from Emmerdale, to celebrate all things Yorkshire.

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Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said yesterday: “This has been an historic year for Yorkshire that will long live in the memory.

“So our awards are the perfect way to not only toast a great year, but celebrate a host of amazing, creative tourism businesses that work tirelessly to help make Yorkshire the leading destination it is today.”

Tourism is Yorkshire’s third biggest sector, an economic and employment powerhouse worth around £7bn and for a quarter of a century the White Rose Awards have celebrated the tireless work done by the county’s tourism businesses.

The amount spent by international visitors in 2013 year-on-year rocketed by 35 per cent, with visits up 11 per cent, and the county’s hosting of the Tour de France’s Grand Départ has given Yorkshire’s tourism royalty a worldwide audience with images of the county beamed across the globe.

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According to Welcome to Yorkshire the latest 2014 visitor statistics show that there was a strong start to the summer for the region’s attractions. They show visits to the county were up six per cent in May, and spending increased by almost a third, up 28 per cent.

Mr Verity told the Yorkshire Post this week: “The impact of the Tour’s arrival in Yorkshire will be felt not just this year, but for many to come and the profile of Yorkshire has never been higher or more prominent.”

Businesses have already reported feeling the positive effect of the arrival of the world’s most famous cycling race in July.

York-based short-break specialist holiday company SuperBreak has said tourism in Yorkshire has been boosted by the staging of the Tour de France Grand Départ, which travelled across the county, with Yorkshire revenue up more than 60 per cent year on year.

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The Yorkshire Post is backing the White Rose Awards which will see prizes handed out in 16 categories. Among those receiving nominations this year are The Deep, in Hull, the Prison and Police Museum, Ripon and The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate, Skipton

Nicola Furbisher, Managing Editor, of the Yorkshire Post, said: “The Yorkshire Post is proud to be backing these awards in what has been a tremendous year for Yorkshire’s tourism industry with the Tour de France showing off the splendour of our region around the world.”

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s high profile awards which are run by Welcome to Yorkshire and will see around 1,000 people attend the major black tie event at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate on November 17.

They cost £60 plus vat and are available at www.whiteroseawards.com and include a three-course gala dinner, drinks reception and live entertainment.

FULL LIST OF NOMINEES...

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• Small Visitor Attraction: Burnby Hall Gardens & Museum, Pocklington; Prison and Police Museum, Ripon; The World of James Herriot, Thirsk; Go Ape, Dalby; Kiplin Hall, Richmond; York MotorSports Village.

• Large Visitor Attraction: Lightwater Valley Theme Park, Ripon; The Deep, Hull; Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Doncaster; National Coal Mining Museum for England, Wakefield; Wentworth Castle Gardens, Barnsley; Cannon Hall Farm, Barnsley.

• Taste of Yorkshire: Drewton’s Farm Shop, South Cave; Yummy Yorkshire, Huddersfield; William’s Farm Kitchen, Hornsea; The Sawley Kitchen, Ripon; Puckett’s Pickles, York; Staal Smoke House Ltd, Long Riston, nr Hull.

• Self-Catering: The Dovecote Barns, York; Broadgate Farm Cottages, Beverley; The Sands 5*Sea Front Apartments, Scarborough; Scalby Lodge, Scarborough; Tockwith Lodge Barn, York; The Old Brewery, York.

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• Pub: The Three Tuns, York; House of the Trembling Madness, York; Castle Inn, Skipton; The Anvil Inn, Sawdon; The Chequers Inn, Ledsham, South Milford; The Railway Inn, New Ellerby.

• Restaurant: Yorebridge House, Bainbridge; The Star at Sancton; The Spiced Pear, Hepworth, near Huddersfield; 1884 Dock Street Kitchen, Hull; The Hare Restaurant, Scawton, near Helmsley; Prashad Indian Vegetarian Restaurant, Drighlington; The Whippet Inn Steak and Ale House, York.

• Tourism Event: The Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park, Wetherby; Mallard 75, National Railway Museum, York; Freedom Festival Ltd, Hull; 30th JORVIK Viking Festival, York; York Maze; All About the Horse – York Racecourse.

• Caravan Holiday Park and Holiday Village: Studfold ‘The Nidderdale Experience’ Caravan and Camping Park; Lebberston Touring Park, Scarborough; Primrose Valley Holiday Park, near Filey; Faweather Grange Holiday Lodges, High Eldwick, WY; Cawood Holiday 
Park, Cawood, York; Camp Katur, Bedale

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• Bed and Breakfast: Low Mill Guesthouse, Bainbridge; The Wold Cottage, Driffield; No 54, Helmsley; Dillons of Whitby; Cordilleras House, Richmond; Village Farm Bed and Breakfast, Skipsea.

• Large Hotel: The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate, Skipton; The Black Swan Hotel, Helmsley; Cedar Court Grand Hotel and Spa, York; Dubrovnik Hotel, Bradford; Raithwaite Hall, Whitby; York Marriott Hotel.

• Small Hotel: The Cliffemount Hotel, Whitby; The Talbot Hotel, Malton; Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbena Spa, Helmsley; Tickton Grange, Beverley.

• Business Tourism: Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield; The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate. Skipton; York Conferences Limited; York Marriott Hotel; Scarborough Spa, Sheffield International Venues Ltd; Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield International Venues (SIV); HIC Yorkshire.

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• Restaurant with Rooms: Yorebridge House, Bainbridge; The Carpenters Arms, Thirsk; The Cleveland Tontine, Staddlebridge, North Allerton; The Wensleydale Heifer, West Witton, Leyburn; Estbek House, Sandsend; The Angel Inn, Hetton

• Visitor Information: Malham National Park and TIC; York Visitor Information Centre; Humber Bridge TIC; Bridlington TIC; The Moors National Park Centre, Danby; Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre/Tourist Information; Saltaire Visitor Information Centre.

• Arts and Culture: Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield; Opera North, Leeds; Kala Sangam, Bradford; Sheffield International Documentary Festival.

• Outstanding Customer Service: Best Western Crown Hotel, Boroughbridge; Holiday Inn, York; The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate, Skipton; The Sheffield Theatres Staff Team; Wentbridge House Hotel, Pontefract; The York Maze Team; Swinton Park,
Masham.