Shropshire businesses play lead role in shortlist for prestigious tourism awards

Businesses from across accommodation, arts, food and drink, visitor attraction and heritage sectors will be aiming for success and acknowledgement in categories, including Experience of the Year, New Tourism Business and Taste of the West Midlands.

Among those to be shortlisted are Telford International Centre, Riverside Cabins, Love2Stay Shrewsbury, The Shropshire Distillery and Broome Park Farm B&B.

Burlton Cottages & Spa, Scout's Meadow, Alderford Lake, Marrington Escapes, Kin Kitchen, Ironbridge View Townhouse, Puddle Duck Cottages, Fishmore Hall and Goldstone Hall are among others to feature.

The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony held in early 2024 and will automatically be entered in the annual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, for the chance to be recognised on a national level.

Andrew Lovett, chair of the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board, said: “The West Midlands Tourism Awards return next spring to celebrate and honour the businesses and venues that make the West Midlands an inviting and exciting place to visit. All venues should be extremely proud of their nomination, which followed a detailed process of review before scoring each category’s top three.

“The awards highlight the importance of the tourism businesses across the West Midlands, whose contribution has helped make 2023 a memorable year for visitors to our great region.

“Awards are a great way of raising standards for everyone by showing just how good service, quality and customer experience can and should be. Those shortlisted are the standard-setters and I congratulate each and every one.”

The full list of finalists for the 2024 West Midlands Tourism Awards are:

Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award: Burlton Cottages & Spa, St Mary's Guildhall, Midlands Art Centre.

Business Events Venue of the Year: Warwick Conferences, Millennium Point, Telford International Centre.

Camping, Glamping, Holiday Park of the Year: Riverside Cabins, Love2Stay Shrewsbury, Scout's Meadow.

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award: Clayton Hotel, Riverside Cabins, Broome Park Farm B&B.

Experience of the Year: The Shropshire Distillery, Shakespeare Distillery, Go Ape Cannock.

Large Hotel of the Year: Coombe Abbey Hotel, Clayton Hotel, Edgbaston Park & Conference Centre.

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: Warwick Castle, Luna Springs Digbeth, Alderford Lake.

New Tourism Business Award: Marrington Escapes, West Midlands Police Museum, Kin Kitchen.

Pub of the Year: The Coach House, Stratford-upon-Avon, Dhillon's Brewery, The Canal House Birmingham.

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year: Burlton Cottages & Spa, Ironbridge View Townhouse, Puddle Duck Cottages.

Small Serviced Accommodation Provider of the Year: Fishmore Hall, Goldstone Hall Hotel & Gardens, Broome Park Farm B&B.

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: Cotswolds Distillery, Selly Manor Museum, Shakespeare's Schoolroom & Guildhall.

Taste of the West Midlands: Chapter, Libertine Burger, Baxter Baristas @ 16 Hales Street.