VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 finalists announced

VisitEngland has today, 1 April, announced the finalists who will go forward to the tourism industry’s national Awards for Excellence, with five North East England businesses in the mix.

 

The 52 finalists, selected following a rigorous judging process by handpicked tourism industry experts, go on to compete in 16 core categories at the national awards in June.  

 

The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence have been championing the best in England’s tourism industry for more than three decades and celebrate quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.  

 

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: 

 

“England’s tourism industry has good reason to celebrate. As the finalists demonstrate, businesses across every region provide outstanding customer service along with high quality experiences while constantly innovating to find new ways to give more to visitors and the communities they serve.   

 

“The applications to this year’s awards and the list of finalists are a testament to the range of first-class products on offer to both domestic and international visitors. I congratulate all the finalists who are already winners, and I wish them the very best of luck.” 

 

The awards’ categories range from ‘B&B and Guest House of the Year’ and ‘Experience of the Year’ to ‘Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year’ and ‘Large and Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’. In addition to the 16 core categories, two special awards are also being presented including a ‘Travel Content Award’ and the ‘Tourism Superstar Award’. 

 

This year’s awards worked in collaboration with 21 local competitions from across England with winners automatically put forward for the national awards.  

 

There were 1,800 applications to the 21 aligned local awards with 360 applicants forwarded for judging in the VisitEngand Awards for Excellence. These were made up of businesses including hotels, self-catering accommodation providers, B&Bs, glamping operators, visitor attractions, restaurants, pubs and museums. 

 

Finalists are invited to attend the national awards ceremony, held at the Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on 4 June, where Gold, Silver and Bronze winners will be announced at the black tie event.  

 

Tourism is one of England’s largest, most valuable industries, supporting more than 200,000 businesses, employing 2.6 million people and generating about £76 billion in domestic visitor spending.   

 

VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 finalists: 

 

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award:

Eureka! Science + Discovery, Merseyside 

Marsham Court Hotel, Dorset 

The Courtyard Trust Limited, Herefordshire

B&B and Guest House of the Year:

Abbots Grange Manor House, Worcestershire 

Boscastle House, Cornwall 

Sunnyside Guest House Southport, Merseyside

Business Events Venue of the Year:

Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement, Cheshire 

Keele University Events and Conferencing, Staffordshire 

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Tyne & Wear 

 

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year:

Hippersons Boatyard, Suffolk 

Mendip Basecamp, Somerset 

Polmanter Touring Park, Cornwall 

 

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award sponsored by Sykes Holiday Cottages :

Battlesteads, Northumberland 

Sunnyside Guest House Southport, Merseyside 

The Quiet Site, Cumbria

Experience of the Year:

Cow Cuddling, Dumble Farm, East Riding of Yorkshire 

Introduction to Sailing, Mylor Sailing School, Cornwall 

The Wizard Walk of York, North Yorkshire 

 

International Tourism Award:

St Mary’s Guildhall, West Midlands 

The Beatles Story, Merseyside 

World of Wedgwood, Staffordshire 

 

Large Hotel of the Year sponsored by Ecclesiastical:

Mallory Court Hotel & Spa, Warwickshire 

Sandburn Hall, North Yorkshire 

Titanic Hotel Liverpool, Merseyside 

 

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year sponsored by Raw Charging Network Ltd:

Black Country Living Museum, West Midlands 

Liverpool Football Club Tours & Experiences, Merseyside 

National Space Centre, Leicestershire 

 

New Tourism Business of the Year:

Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum & Whisky Distillery, Northumberland 

Eight at Gazegill by Doug Crampton, Lancashire 

Eureka! Science + Discovery, Merseyside 

 

Pub of the Year: 

The Blind Bull, Derbyshire 

The Farmers Arms, Devon 

The Griffin Inn, Leicestershire 

 

Self Catering Accommodation of the Year sponsored by Sykes Holiday Cottages:

Trevase Cottages, Herefordshire 

Treworgey Cottages, Cornwall 

Wolf Wood Treehouses, Devon 

 

Small Hotel of the Year:

Seaham Hall, County Durham 

Summer Lodge Hotel, Dorset 

The Montagu Arms Hotel, Hampshire 

 

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year:

King Richard III Visitor Centre, Leicestershire 

No.1 Royal Crescent, Somerset 

Sculpture by the Lakes, Dorset 

 

Taste of England Award:

Searcys at The Pump Room, Somerset 

The Cavendish Hotel, Derbyshire 

The Riverside at Aymestrey, Herefordshire 

 

Unsung Hero Award:

Andrew Hurley, Avoncroft Museum, Worcestershire 

Hannah Clapp, Muncaster Castle, Cumbria 

Caitlin Brown, The Escape Key, Tyne & Wear