Devon Tourism Awards 2011 | Accounting & General

Gildleigh Park were crowned ‘Winner of Winners at the Devon Tourism Award evening at Sandy Park last night (23rd November). This topped a glowing evening for them, when they were earlier announced as gold winners of the Hotel of the Year and Taste of Devon.

Gildleigh, Michael Caines and the team must be congratulated for the recognition of their success in bringing ‘world class’ quality in hospitality to and for the county. Not only do they perform at a high quality level, but their support of Devon and Devon products is unstinting.

In what must have been also a fantastic evening for the Lamb Inn, Sandford, near Crediton, they were announced as joint (yes joint!) gold winners with Gidleigh in the Taste category, and Bovey Castle achieved joint gold in the Hotel category.

The Lamb Inn are testament to the fact that in these and other south west awards the less expensive venues (for want of a better way of describing it) can be winners as well as their 5 star cousins, as they measure results against expectation, rather than just absolutely. The message is ‘if you are excellent at what you do for your customers, you can win an award’.

A highlight of the evening was an award to Chris Murray, owner of Pennywell Farm who was recognised for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism’. Chris is proof of the fact that you can be successful in business, work well with your community, and be graceful and correct in all that you do. We need more like Chris in our industry! Pennywell also won gold this year, as Visitor Attraction of the year.

We recommend that tourism businesses should strive to have a business that they can enter for these and the South West Awards. Not only does it achieve publicity on the night and over the next few days, but you can shout about it in your venue and on your website for as long as you want, the staff will be proud, and the process will encourage you to think of your business in the eyes of the customer and its marketing.

Accounting & General offer free advice to all clients in preparing their entries for awards.

Full List of Winners

Self-catering Establishment

Gold Compton Pool Farm, Marldon

Silver Hembury Court, Broadhembury

Bronze Altlantis Holiday Appartments, Torquay

Tourism Activity, Sport & Experience

Gold Calvert Trust, Kentisbury

Silver Aerosaurus Balloons, Whimple

Bronze Arundell Arms, Lifton

Food & Drink Devon Producer

Gold Riverford Farm Foods, Staverton

Silver Cobley Farm, Crediton

Bronze Bell & Loxton, Kingsbridge

Riverford Farm Dairies, Staverton

Visitor Attraction

Gold Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh

Silver Big Sheep, Bideford

River Dart Adventures, Ashburton

Sustainable Tourism

Gold Wheatland Farm, Winkleigh

Silver Woodovis Park, Tavistock

Bronze Devon Cliffs, Exmouth

National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth

Hotel of the Year

Gold Gildleigh Park, Chagford

Bovey Castle, Moretonhampstead

Silver Ilsington Hotel, Ilsington

Outstanding Contribution

Chris Murray, Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh

Holiday Park

Gold Finlake, Chudleigh

Silver Oakdown, Sidmouth

Bronze Devon Cliffs, Exmouth

Hele Valley, Ilfracombe

Taste of Devon

Gold Gildleigh Park, Chagford

Lamb Inn, Sandford

Bronze Exeter Sausage & Grill

Bed & Breakfast Guesthouse

Gold Larkbeare Grange, Talaton

Silver Hedgehog Corner, Axminster

Winner of Winners

Gidleigh Park, Chagford

Special mention is due to Robin Barker of Services 4 Tourism who organises these awards. Robin has picked up the gap left by the demise of South West Tourism and made these awards self supporting and sustainable. A great example of what the industry can do within its own resources.

There are lots of businesses out there equally as good as these award winners, we urge don’t be shy, take an hour or three, fill out the forms for 2012 and ‘be in it to win it! Put it in your to do list for 2012 now.