Highest Point, Light Up Lancaster and Morecambe Carnival vie for 2018 tourism award

Lancaster’s Highest Point music festival and Light Up Lancaster, along with Morecambe Carnival, have also been shortlisted as three out of the four finalists in the Large Event catergory of the awards.

Marketing Lancashire have revealed the 103 finalists competing in 22 categories for this year’s Lancashire Tourism Awards, which provide a route to the Visit England Awards for Excellence, the industry’s national honours.

Rachel McQueen, Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire, said: “The Lancashire Tourism Awards celebrate the achievements of the county’s tourism and hospitality providers, from hotels and attractions, to restaurants and retailers; an industry that brings £4.13bn to the Lancashire economy and employs over 59,000 people, who provide outstanding levels of hospitality to 67 million annual visitors.

“Our annual awards not only recognise the accomplishments of this year’s outstanding finalists, but applaud all those who work in this wonderfully diverse sector for their continuing contribution to the prosperity of Lancashire.

“I wish all the finalists of the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2018 the very best of luck in the next stage of the competition and I look forward to joining sponsors, colleagues and partners in celebrating Lancashire’s brightest stars of tourism and hospitality at the awards ceremony in November.”

The finalists will now have face-to-face interviews with the Lancashire Tourism Awards expert judging panels, who will choose the ultimate winners. A number of the categories will also receive visits from mystery shoppers.

Each year the Lancashire Tourism Awards also offers colleagues and the public the opportunity to decide who will be named Lancashire Tourism Superstar 2018. This award acknowledges an individual who has made a significant contribution to Lancashire tourism, but who may not necessarily be in the spotlight. This year the Tourism Superstar award category has received more nominations than ever. The fate of the four shortlisted ‘superstars’ now lies in the hands of public, with the vote opening on Monday September 17 and closing on Sunday October 21. Information on each of the ‘superstar’ finalists and how to vote can be found on lancashiretourismawards.com from Monday 17th September.

The winners in each of our 22 categories will be announced at the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2018 black-tie dinner and awards ceremony in November.

THE FINALISTS

Lancashire Tourism Awards 2018

Wedding Venue Award

Fisherman’s Retreat, Ramsbottom

Hipping Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale

Holmes Mill, Clitheroe

Leighton Hall, Carnforth

Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green

Stanley House Hotel & Spa, Mellor

New Business Award

A’Vucciria, Rawtenstall

Castle View, Lancaster

Clip’n Climb Blackpool

Fence Gate Lodge, Fence

The Lawrence Hotel, Padiham

L’Escargotiere, Bowland

No. 10, Preston

The Rookery Holiday Cottage, Roughlee

Taste Lancashire Restaurant Award*

Bay Horse Inn, Lancaster

Hipping Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale

The Midland, Morecambe

Twelve Restaurant, Thornton

Taste Lancashire Pub/Inn Award*

The Aspinall Arms, Mitton

The Assheton Arms, Downham

Bay Horse Inn, Lancaster

Fence Gate, Fence

The Spread Eagle, Mellor

The Spread Eagle Inn, Sawley

Taste Lancashire Producer Award

Batch Brew, Burnley

Bowland Brewery, Clitheroe

Calyx Drinks, Burnley

Choc Amor, Mawdesley

Northern Whisper Brewing Co, Rawtenstall

Wignalls Yallo, Standish

Holiday Village Award*

Pipers Height Caravan Park, Blackpool

Ream Hills Holiday Park, Weeton

Rossendale Holiday Cottages

South Lakeland Leisure Village, Carnforth

Stanley Villa Farm Fishing & Camping, Greenhalgh

Self-Catering Holiday Award*

Laythams Holiday Lets Retreat, Slaidburn

Newton Hall Holiday Apartments, Blackpool

Rossendale Holiday Cottages

Water Babies Narrow Boat Hire, Forton

Wolfen Mill Boutique Self Catering, Chipping

Sustainable Tourism Award*

The Bee Centre, Preston

Browsholme Hall, Clitheroe

Fell End Holiday Park, Carnforth

Moss Wood Caravan Park, Lancaster

Lancashire Large Hotel Award*

Hotel Sheraton, Blackpool

The Legacy Preston International Hotel

The Wrightington Hotel & Health Club

Business Tourism Award*

Browsholme Hall, Clitheroe

Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green

Winter Gardens Blackpool

The Wrightington Hotel & Health Club

Lancashire Perfect Stay Award*

The Assheton Arms, Downham

Bartle Hall Hotel, Preston

The Borough, Lancaster

The Spread Eagle Inn, Sawley

Small Visitor Attraction Award*

Go Ape Rivington

Leighton Hall, Carnforth

Mrs Dowsons Farm Park, Blackburn

Shores Hey Farm, Burnley

Thornton Hall Country Park

Large Visitor Attraction Award*

Ascent Trampoline Park, Blackpool

Blackpool Zoo

Brockholes Nature Reserve, Preston

East Lancashire Railway

Madame Tussauds Blackpool

Retail Experience Award

Bowland Food Hall, Clitheroe

Fleetwood Market

Heskin Hall Shopping Village, Chorley

JAK Hanson, Wrightington

Preston Markets

Visitor Experience Award

A Brief Encounter with Leighton Hall, Carnforth

Artisan Foodworks, Burscough

Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours

The Bee Centre, Preston

Cultural Venue/Organisation Award

Blackburn Cathedral

Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours

The Boo, Waterfoot

Carnforth Station Heritage Centre

The Whitaker, Rossendale

Inclusive Tourism Award*

The Bee Centre, Preston

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool

Dog Friendly Award*

The Aspinall Arms, Mitton

Holiday Inn Express Burnley

Ribble Valley Country & Leisure Park, Gisburn

Rossendale Holiday Cottages

Taste Lancashire Café/Tearoom Award

Brew + Bake, Preston

The Dearden Tea Rooms, Haslingden

Middle Holly Cottage Tea Rooms, Forton

Shores Hey Farm Café, Burnley

Tourism Superstar Award*

Roger Borrell, Lancashire Life Magazine

Barbara Bryan, Mytton Fold Hotel & Golf Complex

Simon Entwistle, Top Hat Tours

James Whewell, Wyresdale Park

Small Event Award

Burnley Canal Festival

Chorley Live

The Penny Farm Open Day, Blackpool

A Thornton Hall Farm Christmas Adventure

Treasure Island, The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster

Worsthorne Gala

Large Event Award

Festival of Making, Blackburn

Highest Point Festival, Lancaster

Light up Lancaster

Vintage by the Sea, Morecambe

*The winners in these categories, meeting the appropriate criteria, will have the opportunity to represent Lancashire at the national Visit England Awards for Excellence.

The venue and guest presenter for The Lancashire Tourism Awards 2018 ceremony, will be announced very soon. Follow all the latest news on Twitter @MarketingLancs #LTA18