Pictured above: The Roundhouse
Thirteen Derbyshire tourism businesses - including Buxton
Festival, which opened Wednesday July 7 - are celebrating after
being shortlisted for the final of the seventh East Midlands
Tourism Enjoy England Excellence Awards.
Set to be staged in the county for the very first time at the
Roundhouse, Derby College, on Thursday October 7, the prestigious
regional awards will showcase businesses from across the region and
will take the winners a step closer to national success.
The 2010 finalists in the competition - organised by East
Midlands Tourism, tourism arm of the East Midlands Development
Agency (emda) - are:
• The Peacock at Rowsley, Matlock - Small Hotel of the
Year
• Chatsworth, Bakewell - Large Visitor Attraction
• Calke Abbey, Ticknall - Large Visitor
Attraction
• Grendon Guest House, Buxton - Bed and Breakfast / Guest
Accommodation
• Wheeldon Trees Farm Holiday Cottages, Buxton - Self
Catering
• Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington, near Matlock - Self
Catering
• Front of House Team, East Lodge Hotel and Restaurant,
Matlock - Outstanding Customer Service
• Joan Walters, Yorkshire Bridge Inn, Bamford - Outstanding
Customer Service
• Castleton Visitor Centre, Castleton - Tourist Information
Service
• Buxton Festival, Buxton - Tourism Event
• Ladybower Apartments, Bamford - Sustainable
Tourism
• Hoe Grange Holidays, Brassington, near Matlock - Access
for All
• Callow Top Holiday Park, Ashbourne - Caravan Holiday
Park
"It's excellent news that 13 of the finalists hail from our area
-and such a timely announcement for Buxton Festival, which opens
today - making it a fantastic achievement for all involved," said
David James, Chief Executive of Visit Peak District &
Derbyshire, the area's official tourist board.
"We are very proud of our high-achieving tourism businesses and
their constant quest to develop and improve. We are also delighted
that, for the very first time, the regional final will be held here
in Derbyshire - it's a great coup for the county and the area's
wider profile."
Added Ruth Hyde, of East Midlands Tourism: "Last year more
people stayed in the UK for their holidays rather than travelling
abroad, largely due to the uncertain economic climate. The tourism
industry rose to the challenge and provided high quality
experiences that helped holiday makers realise just how good the
tourism offer is in Britain. This year we expect the trend to
continue, with people actively choosing to holiday at home thanks
to the quality they experienced last year.
"It is important businesses maintain and increase the quality of
their offer to meet rising customer expectations, and it is clear
from the standard of the 2010 application forms that businesses in
the East Midlands are doing just that."
A number of the finalists will go forward to the national
tourism awards, in April 2011.