Yorkshire’s best tourism businesses celebrated at White Rose Awards

YORK’S new five star Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa led the winning businesses at the White Rose Awards which attracted an audience of 1,000 people last night.

Guests from across the region’s £7bn-valued tourism sector attended the event alongside star guests including Olympic gold medal winners Nicola Adams, Andy Triggs-Hodge and Hannah Cockroft.

The awards, run by tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire and which are the biggest tourism awards in the UK, saw the privately-owned Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa take the title in the Large Hotel category, sponsored by the Institute of Directors, while the well-established Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel & Spa was winner of Small Hotel of the Year sponsored by digital agency Bloom.

The Business Tourism title, sponsored by the University of Hull, was scooped by the York Marriott at the event held at the Centenary Pavilion at Leeds United.

Samuel’s at Swinton Park near Masham in North Yorkshire triumphed in the Restaurant category, sponsored by Santander bank with well known Italian Salvo’s in Headingley, Leeds, highly commended.

Jollydays Luxury Camping in North Yorkshire took the Caravan Holiday Park & Holiday Village Award, sponsored by Grant Thornton while Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal near Ripon won the Large Visitor Attraction Award sponsored by media buying agency Carat.

The best Pub category was won by The Star at Harome while the Bed & Breakfast category, sponsored by Ellis Bates Insurance, was won by The Wold Cottage in Driffield and the Outstanding Customer service Award, sponsored by law firm 3volution was taken by The York Maze team.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “This was another exciting night in the history of Yorkshire tourism. Every winner should be congratulated and these awards give us all the chance to celebrate the creativity, hard work and success of so many tourism businesses.

“Having seen the standard of businesses shortlisted, it seems clear to us that Yorkshire leads where others follow.

“During the last three years we have seen Yorkshire not only compete on the world stage, but be at the centre of it. And it’s incredible businesses like these which make that possible – that’s why the White Rose Awards plays such a vital role in recognising and celebrating their work.”

In total, 89 businesses were shortlisted and winners were announced across 15 categories. Those scooping an award on the night included:

• Winner of Small Hotel, sponsored by Bloom – The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel & Spa
(The Cliffemount Hotel, Runswick Bay – Highly Commended)
• Winner of Bed & Breakfast, sponsored by Ellis Bates Insurance – The Wold Cottage, Driffield
• Winner of Large Visitor Attraction, sponsored by Carat – Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
• Winner of Small Visitor Attraction, sponsored by Herriot Country Tourism Association – Captain Cook Memorial Museum
• Winner of Restaurant, sponsored by Santander – Samuel’s at Swinton Park
(Salvo’s, Leeds – Highly Commended)
• Winner of Large Hotel, sponsored by the IoD – Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa, York
• Winner of Taste of Yorkshire, sponsored by House of Townend Wine Merchants – Drewton’s South Cave, East Yorkshire
(The Cooking School at Dean Clough, Halifax – Highly Commended)
• Winner of Pub, sponsored by the British Beer & Pub Association – The Star at Harome
(The Star@Sancton, Market Weighton – Highly Commended)
• Winner of Self-Catering, sponsored by The Hoseasons Group – High Barn Cottages, Bridlington
• Winner of Caravan & Camping, sponsored by Grant Thornton – Jollydays Luxury Camping
• Winner of Outstanding Customer Service, sponsored by law firm 3volution – The York Maze Team
(Shirley Fletcher (Hilton York) – Highly Commended)
(Les Clarke (Pickering & Malton TICs) – Highly Commended)
• Winner of Arts & Culture, sponsored by BBC Yorkshire – The Hepworth Wakefield
(Northern Ballet – Highly Commended)
• Winner of Tourism Event, sponsored by PwC – Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial, York
• Winner of Business Tourism, sponsored by the University of Hull – York Marriott
(The Spa Bridlington – Highly Commended)
• Winner of Visitor Information, sponsored by LNT Group – Wakefield Tourist Information Centre
(The Moors National Park Centre, Danby TIC – Highly Commended)

Independent chair of judges, Professor Colin Mellors, added: “One of the hardest jobs for the panel is deciding who goes through to the final shortlist and who doesn’t. It’s such a difficult call to make, but it goes to show the superb standard that Yorkshire’s strong, diverse and expanding tourism sector has attained.

“The winners should be commended and rightly so as each and every one deserved their award as they continue to raise the bar across the county – and the nation.”