Top Midlands tourist spots celebrated at glittering awards ceremony

The musum took silver behind the Stratford-upon-Avon theatre in the large visitor attraction category.

The gold and silver winners in 15 categories go through to VisitEngland’s National Awards for Excellence in June.

Brockencote Hall at Kidderminster took gold in the small hotel of the year category and Burlton Cottages, near Shrewsbury, won for self-catering accommodation.

Broome Park Farm, near Cleobury Mortimer, also struck gold in the bed and breakfast and guesthouse categpry.

Winners were announced in the University of Birmingham’s Great Hall.

The awards celebrate the region’s finest tourist organisations, who helped to bring a record 131 million visitors to the region in 2018.

They were hosted by Martin Roberts, presenter of ITV travel show Wish You Were Here and current star of BBC’s property auction programme Homes under the Hammer, the evening featured performances by the Black Voices music ensemble. Guests were also treated to a song from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s hit musical The Boy in the Dress.

The West Midlands Growth Company – which aims to attract visitors and events to the region – organised the awards with VisitEngland.

Neil Rami, chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, said: “The West Midlands Tourism Awards provided a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the very best of our region’s visitor economy offer, which is enjoying a real renaissance.

“We are entering a defining period where the West Midlands will be in the global spotlight like never before. This ceremony recognised the people who make this region such a great place to visit and the valuable contribution that tourism makes to the local economy.

“Huge congratulations to all of our nominees and the gold and silver winners who will now go on to represent the West Midlands at VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence. I’m sure many of them will make their mark on this national stage.”

Medal winners included:

Accessible and inclusive tourism award: gold, Birmingham Hippodrome and silver, Royal Shakespeare Company.

Bed and breakfast and guesthouse: gold, Broome Park Farm.

Business events venue: gold, Warwick Conferences, Coventry and silver, International Convention Centre, Birmingham.

Camping, glamping and holiday park: gold, Ettie's Field, Atherstone; silver, Hencote, Shrewsbury and bronze, Hopley's Family Camping, Bewdley.

Ethical, responsible and sustainable tourism; gold, The Hive Cafe and Bakery, Birmingham.

Experience of the year: gold, Land Rover Experience Solihull and silver, Royal Shakespeare Company.

Large hotel: gold, Coombe Abbey, Coventry and silver, Malmaison Birmingham.

Small hotel: gold, Brockencote Hall, Kidderminster.)

International tourism award: gold, Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon.

New tourism business award: gold, Shakespeare Distillery, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Self-catering accommodation: gold, Burlton Cottages, Burlton; silver, Penny Black Cottage, Ironbridge and bronze, Ironbridge View Townhouse, Ironbridge.)

Large visitor attraction: gold, Royal Shakespeare Company; silver, Black Country Living Museum and bronze, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham.

Small visitor attraction: gold, FarGo Village, Coventry.

Pub of the year: gold, The Howard Arms, Ilmington, Stratford-upon-Avon; silver, The Millstone Hare, Southam and bronze, The Coracle Micropub, Ironbridge.

Taste of England award: gold, The Butchers Social, Coventry.