SCORES of visitor attractions and businesses from the Chester and Ellesmere Port areas have been named as finalists in Marketing Cheshire’s annual awards.
The prestigious awards recognise excellence and outstanding achievement by both individuals and companies – both small and large – working across the county's visitor economy.
Major tourist destinations from Chester Zoo and Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet to newcomers such as BeWILDerwood Cheshire and history of medicine attraction, Sick To Death, have all made the shortlist.
A host of hotels, pubs, restaurants, holiday sites and accommodation providers have also been named as finalists, along with Ellesmere Port's National Waterways Museum and Storyhouse Chester.
Categories include Pub of the Year, Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, Small Visitor Attraction of the Year and the Unsung Hero Award.
The winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony on Thursday, March 24 next year at Nunsmere Hall.
Many of the winners will go on to represent Cheshire at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022 and showcase what the county has to offer on a national level.
Nicola Said, commercial director at Marketing Cheshire, said: "This is the 16th year of these awards and after last year’s cancellation it’s great to see so many of our businesses get involved and make the shortlist.
"We know how difficult the past 18 months have been for tourism and hospitality businesses and these awards are an opportunity for us to shine a light on the organisations and individuals that make our visitor economy so successful and special.
"This year we have launched a new category – the Resilience and Innovation Award. So many businesses had to look at new ways of making money and serving their guests and this award is our way of celebrating that.
"We are looking forward to crowning our winners next year and seeing them go on to represent Cheshire on a national stage. I’d like to thank everyone for taking the opportunity to enter as well as our sponsors for their support."
This year’s event is sponsored by Insight6, Hipswing, Pear Communications and Digitickets.
The shortlist in full:
Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award
Guild of Chester Tour Guides
McArthurGlen Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet
Storyhouse
Best Tourism Marketing Project of the Year
Carden Park Hotel
Tatton Park
Camping, Glamping, Holiday Park of the Year
Blakemere Touring & Holiday Park
Lloyds Meadow Glamping
Pitch & Canvas
Experience of the Year
Carden Park
National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port
Large Hotel of the Year
Carden Park
Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa
Hotel Indigo Chester
Mottram Hall Champneys
Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa
The Chester Grosvenor
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year
Anderton Boat Lift
Chester Zoo
Tatton Park
New Tourism Business Award
Forest Holidays Delamere Forest
BeWILDerwood Cheshire
Sick To Death
Newcomer Award
Artezzan Restaurant and Bar
BeWILDerwood Cheshire
Kelly-Marie Staunton - Mottram Hall Champneys
Sick To Death
The Lion at Malpas
Townhouse Hotel & Secret Garden
Pub of the Year
The Fishpool Inn
The Pheasant Inn
The White Horse
Resilience and Innovation Award
BeWILDerwood Cheshire
Cheshire Falconry
Chester Zoo
The Hollies Farm Shop
The Ice Cream Farm
Tatton Park
Self- Catering Accommodation of the Year
Cheshire Boutique Barns
Forest Holidays Delamere Forest
Kerridge End Holiday Cottages
Sandstone Trail Cottages
The Hollies Forest Lodges
Yew Tree Farm Holidays
Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year
The Lion at Malpas
The Pheasant Inn
Townhouse Hotel & Secret Garden
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year
Cheshire Falconry
Escapism Chester
Sick To Death
Team of the Year
BeWILDerwood Cheshire Management Team
Big Heritage CIC
Carden Park Hotel –The Spa at Carden Team
Cottons Hotel & Spa – The Sales Team
Mottram Hall Champneys – Front of House Team
Mottram Hall Champneys – Sales and Reservations Team
The Hollies Farm Shop – Team Hollies
The Mere Golf Resort and Spa Team
Townhouse Hotel & Secret Garden Team
Unsung Hero Award
Giorgia Frederico - Mottram Hall Champneys
Georgia Stroud – Mottram Hall Champneys
Aimee Glennon - The Garden House Marple Charity
Wedding Venue of the Year
Cheshire Woodland Weddings
Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel and Spa
Mottram Hall Champneys
Nunsmere Hall Hotel
Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here