Go Cotswolds wins at the West Midlands Tourism Awards!
Did you see our tweets and Instagram posts this week? On Wednesday, we booked a babysitter, and threw on our glad rags. Then, we were off to Birmingham for the West Midlands Tourism Awards ceremony!
Celebrating tourism in the West Midlands
Tom and Lisa on the red carpet!
The aim of the West Midlands Tourism Awards is to recognise the area’s best tourism companies. These companies helped to bring a record 131 million visitors to the West Midlands in 2018.
The fantastic evening was hosted by TV presenter Martin Roberts. Martin is the host of Lisa’s guilty pleasure daytime show ‘Homes Under the Hammer‘! Firstly, it included a delicious meal, then there was entertainment from the brilliant Black Voices a capella group. We also enjoyed an act from The Boy in the Dress, which is a musical now showing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Finally, the main event was to find out which shortlisted companies had won awards. The categories included Experience of the Year, Large Hotel of the Year, and the Taste of England award, so there were big accolades to play for.
Silver at the West Midlands Tourism Awards for Go Cotswolds
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust won the Gold award. This Trust looks after the five ‘Shakespeare homes’, which you can visit in Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s a huge organisation, so our little family business had very tough competition!
Nevertheless, we’re happy to even be considered for the award. We are also pleased that Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust brought the award home to Stratford-upon-Avon!
Success for Shakespeare’s England in the West Midlands Tourism Awards
There were several other winners from across the West Midlands region.
- Our friends Rob & Claire Iles, who are the owners of Avonlea Bed & Breakfast in Stratford-upon-Avon
- Shakespeare Distillery
- The Royal Shakespeare Company
The full list of winners is below, so do check them out!
Big thanks to Shakespeare’s England, for sponsoring our tickets to the awards ceremony.
On to the National Awards!
The contest will be even tougher at the national level, so we’re not getting too excited. However, we really look forward to the opportunity!
… and the winners of the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2020 are…
Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award
- Gold – Birmingham Hippodrome (Birmingham)
- Silver – Royal Shakespeare Company (Stratford-upon-Avon)
People think of London’s West End as being ‘the’ place to go for theatre, but there are some fantastic venues here in the Midlands too!
B&B and Guesthouse of the Year
- Gold – Broome Park Farm (Shropshire)
- Silver – Avonlea (Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Bronze – Victoria Spa Lodge (Stratford-upon-Avon)
Two awards here for Stratford-upon-Avon, so a big well done!
Business Events Venue of the Year
- Gold – Warwick Conferences (Coventry)
- Silver – ICC Birmingham (Birmingham)
- Bronze – Coombe Abbey (Coventry)
Lisa used to work at Warwick University, where Warwick Conferences is based, so she was pleased for her former colleagues!
Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year
- Gold – Ettie’s Field (Atherstone)
- Silver – Hencote (Shropshire)
- Bronze – Hopley’s Family Camping (Bewdley)
- Fourth – Hill Farm Glamping (Southam)
Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award
- Gold – The Hive Café and Bakery (Birmingham)
There was only one shortlisted company in this group, so The Hive won automatically. However, it’s a fantastic company, so a very deserving winner!
West Midlands Tourism Awards Experience of the Year
- Gold – Land Rover Experience Solihull (Solihull)
- Silver – Royal Shakespeare Company (Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Bronze – Positively Birmingham Walking Tours (Birmingham)
- Fourth – Bobby Britnell Textile Artist (Shropshire)
It was brilliant to see another tour company represented here, so well done to Positively Birmingham!
West Midlands Tourism Awards Large Hotel of the Year
- Gold – Coombe Abbey (Coventry)
- Silver – Malmaison Birmingham (Birmingham)
- Bronze – Mallory Court Country House Hotel and Spa (Leamington Spa)
West Midlands Tourism Awards Small Hotel of the Year
- Gold – Brockencote Hall (Kidderminster)
- Silver – Baraset Barn, Lovely Pubs (Stratford-upon-Avon)
International Tourism Award
- Gold – Shakespeare’s Birthplace (Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Silver – Go Cotswolds (Stratford-upon-Avon)
Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust is a fabulous organisation, so we’re happy for our fellow Shakespeare’s England members!
New Tourism Business Award
- Gold – Shakespeare Distillery (Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Silver – Hotel Indigo Stratford-upon-Avon (Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Bronze – Positively Birmingham Walking Tours (Birmingham)
Another two awards for Stratford-upon-Avon here, so congratulations!
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
- Gold – Burlton Cottages (Burlton, Shropshire)
- Silver – Penny Black Cottage (Ironbridge)
- Bronze – Ironbridge View Townhouse (Ironbridge)
Big wins here for Shropshire, so well done! We love Shropshire and think it’s a very underrated county.
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Gold – Royal Shakespeare Company (Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Silver – Black Country Living Museum (Dudley)
- Bronze – National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham (Birmingham)
We’re really chuffed for our friends at the RSC, so congratulations!
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
- Gold – FarGo Village (Coventry)
- Silver – Shakespeare Schoolroom & Guildhall (Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Bronze – Land Rover Experience Solihull (Solihull)
- Fourth – Aston Hall (Birmingham)
More wins for Stratford-upon-Avon, so well done to the team at Shakespeare’s Schoolroom!
West Midlands Tourism Awards Pub of the Year
- Gold – The Howard Arms (Ilmington, Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Silver – The Millstone Hare (Southam)
- Bronze – The Coracle Micropub (Ironbridge)
Ilmington, home of The Howard Arms, is in the Warwickshire Cotswolds, so this is a brilliant win for both Warwickshire and the Cotswolds!
Taste of England Award
- Gold – The Butchers Social (Henley-in-Arden)
- Silver – Turmeric Gold (Coventry)
- Bronze – Esquires Coffee (Coventry)
We’ve never visited any of these places, but they all sound delicious so they’re definitely on the wish list!
If you’re thinking of visiting the West Midlands, then check all these wonderful companies out. We’re so lucky to have a fantastic tourism business community in the Midlands, so you’ll be well looked after when you visit.
Book an award-winning tour of the Cotswolds with us
We are based in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is in the West Midlands area and very close to the Cotswolds. If you’re staying in Shakespeare’s home town for the weekend or a short break, then take a tour of the Cotswolds with us! As you have read, we’re award-winning, so you can be assured of our quality!
The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty begins just minutes away from Stratford-upon-Avon, so you’ll find yourself in the beautiful countryside in no time. We offer a pick-up service in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon.
However, don’t worry if you’re not staying in Stratford-upon-Avon. If you’re visiting Birmingham, in the heart of the West Midlands, then take the train to Stratford-upon-Avon train station. From there, our pick up point is just a 5-10 minute walk away! For visitors from London, Reading or Oxford, then we can collect you from Moreton-in-Marsh train station. There are direct trains from London, Reading and Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh, so it’s very easy and hassle-free.
Ready to book your tour? Then click here!
Prefer a private tour or need group transport? Then, check out our private tours and minibus hire options.
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