Quality Wins The Day
- South East Tourist Attractions and Accommodation Providers Prove Their Worth
Hampshire takes four top awards with seven runners up and commended winners. Isle of Wight takes two runners up awards and Dorset one.
The 2005 Tourism ExSEllence Awards in the South East presented on Thursday 13 October show a continuing trend towards improved quality and customer services. Speaking at the awards ceremony at Great Fosters, Surrey, Chairman of Tourism South East, Nigel Walmsley congratulated the 14 winners as well as 24 runners up and commended venues, and continued:
"The spread of these awards right across the South East confirms the strength of the tourist industry in this region. Just about every part of the region is recognised in this impressive line-up of winners and runners up. We now have fourteen categories so we can cover every aspect of the tourism experience from websites and tourist information centres to large hotels, local food and pubs with accommodation."
The Large Hotel of the Year Award went Tylney Hall, Rotherwick, Hants; Caravan Holiday Park of the Year was won by Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, Fordingbridge, New Forest; The Small Visitor Attraction of the Year Award went to Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport; and Winchester TIC won the Tourist Information Centre of the Year Award.
Runners up and Highly Commended in Hampshire included Bed and Breakfast of the Year - The Nurse's Cottage, Sway, Lymington; Small Visitor Attraction of the Year - Hawk Conservancy Trust, Andover; Tourism Website of the Year - Marwell Zoo, Winchester; Outstanding Customer Service Award - Micheen Stone, Sandy Balls Holiday; Self-Catering Holiday of the Year Award - Milnthorpe, Winchester; Outstanding Customer Service Award - Signe Higgins, Visitor Assistant, Westgate Museum, Winchester.
Runners Up and Highly Commended on the Isle of Wight included: Self-Catering Holiday of the Year -
Upper Chine Holiday Cottages & Apartments; Small Visitor Attraction of the Year - Model Village, Godshill; and in Dorset: Large Visitor Attraction of the Year - Monkey World, Wareham. Full details below.
"The judges were very impressed with the quality of entries this year. All entries were outstandingly good. Some were new and in a few years time will be superb. Many B&Bs are more like good quality hotels, according to our judges. There is no doubt that the winning ingredients are all about quality and customer service."
Nigel Walmsley and Angela Rippon OBE, broadcaster and Chairman of the English National Ballet presented the awards at a gala dinner for the tourist industry at Great Fosters, Surrey.
Over 100 entries were received for this year's Tourism ExSEllence Awards, double the number of last year. Teams of experts from the tourist industry volunteered to carry out the judging; Tourism South East staff coordinated their visits and travel across the length and breadth of the South East. The winners in 13 categories go forward to the 'Enjoy England Excellence Awards. The results of these will be announced on St George's Day - 23 April 2006. Last year three winners from the South East were successful winners in the final awards.
The awards are sponsored by EDF Energy and Take One Media; the awards ceremony was sponsored by Great Fosters.
Ends
Further information (press):
Jodie Hodge, Corporate Communications Officer, Tourism South East, Tel: 023 8062 5502
Fax: 023 8062 0010, jhodge@tourismse.com
And Ylva French, Ylva French Consultancy, tel. 020 7233 6789, email ylva@ylvafrench.co.uk.
Notes
Winners and Runners Up by region:
HAMPSHIRE
Hampshire - Winners
Large Hotel of the Year - Tylney Hall, Rotherwick, Hants
Tylney Hall is a stunning grade II listed property, set in gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll. It has a colourful past, having served as a hospital during World War I. the headquarters of a shipping line in World War II and then a school, before opening as a hotel in 1986. The judges were impressed with the "luxurious and carefully designed" décor, the 'excellent' guest rooms for wheelchair users, and the very professional staff: "The manager has been there for 19 years - a real professional". The judges described the hotel as "a credit to the industry".
All entries in the Hotel category have a minimum of a VisitBritain 1-5 star rate, VisitBritain Gold and Silver Award or the AA or RAC equivalent. There are two awards: for small hotels with less than 50 rooms and for large hotels with more than 30 rooms.
Caravan Holiday Park of the Year - Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, Fordingbridge, New Forest
Sandy Balls Holiday Centre in the New Forest has been running for over 85 years. According to the judges: "Everything about this pleasant environment is geared up for a great time. The place has a lovely, lovely atmosphere providing a really great start to a holiday. Guest information is well presented and changed daily. It appears that lots of staff join the organisation after spending a holiday and as a result start their tourism careers there." Several million pounds have recently been invested to upgrade facilities and further investment is planned.
Caravan Holiday Parks must have a 4 or 5 star rating in the British Graded Holiday Parks Scheme to enter for this award.
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year - Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport
The winner of this trophy was a 'real surprise' to the judges and, in their opinion, one of the 'best examples of museum interpretation - with technology that actually worked!' The judges commended the museum for its 'exceptional interpretation', 'excellent attention to the needs of the disabled' and 'Welcoming staff', even mentioning the toilets as: "worthy of an award in their own right"! This former royal navy armament depot, which received over 30,000 visitors last year, traces the history of naval ordnance from the Battle of Trafalgar to the Gulf War.
Tourist Information Centre of the Year - Winchester TIC
This winning Tourist Information Centre is busy and successful, located in the Guildhall in the heart of Winchester. The judges found it "a brilliant place offering a wonderful atmosphere". The manager and staff all have the right attitude. Information is presented in a logical and easy to find fashion; if staff were asked for a piece of information they didn't have, they would pick up the phone and get it. Disabled access is first class, making the Tourist Information Centre a 'must visit' place for everyone.
Hampshire - Runners Up
Bed and Breakfast of the Year - The Nurse's Cottage, Sway, Lymington
According to the judges, this B&B with a restaurant has everything you could possibly want - and all of it extremely good quality. Rooms are comfortable and beautifully decorated. The restaurant offers good local produce on the menu.
(The winner was Fairacres, Rye, East Sussex)
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year - Hawk Conservancy Trust, Andover
(The winner was Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport)
Tourism Website of the Year - Marwell Zoo, Winchester
An attractive, fun and colourful site with good content and plenty of up to date information; you can order tickets in advance plus items from a well stocked online shop.
(The winner was open-Sandwich.co.uk)
Outstanding Customer Service Award - Micheen Stone, Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, joined this organisation as a PA and is now developing customised training for our runner up organisation. She demonstrates a very professional attitude towards her fellow staff and customers alike going that extra mile in practically everything she does.
(The winner was Kevin Cook, Guildhall, Sandwich)
Best Tourism Experience of the Year - Cyclexperience, Brockenhurst
This organisation is unique to the South East with a variety of different bicycles on hire and a number of interesting routes around the New Forest.
(The winner was Groombridge Place Gardens & Enchanted Forest, Kent)
Hampshire - Highly Commended
Self-Catering Holiday of the Year Award - Milnthorpe, Winchester
According to the judges this is beautifully decorated with excellent furniture; no expense has been spared.
(The winner was Quays Quarters, Chichester).
Outstanding Customer Service Award - Signe Higgins, Visitor Assistant, Westgate Museum, Winchester (The winner was Kevin Cook, Guildhall, Sandwich)
Hampshire Contacts
Tylney Hall Hotel: Miss RT Mooney or Mr Andrew Oxley Tel. 01256 764881
Sandy Balls Holiday Centre: Tracey Farmer Tel. 01425 653042
Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower: Marc Farrance Tel. 02392 505600
The Hawk Conservancy Trust: Mrs Tracey Smith Tel. 01264 773850
Marwell Zoological Park: Gaynor Worman Tel. 01962 777947
Cyclexperience Ltd: Ross Kempson (Lizzie, Assistant) Tel. 01590 623407 / 624204
Winchester Tourism Information Centre: Alison Woods Tel. 01962 840500 or Ian Hogg (Corporate Communications Manager) Winchester CC Tel. 01962 848251
The Nurses Cottage: Tony Barnfield Tel. 01590 683402
Ms S. Kent, Westgate Museum Tel. 01962 848269
Milnthorpe Apartment: Alison Dudgeon Tel. 01962 850440
ISLE OF WIGHT
Isle of Wight - Runners Up
Self-Catering Holiday of the Year - Upper Chine Holiday Cottages & Apartments
This is a collection of 16 small cottages, each of which is beautifully presented. It is a compliment to the owners. There is a swimming and splash pool for guests with video monitoring.
(The winner was Quay Quarters, Chichester)
Isle of Wight - Highly Commended
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year - Model Village, Godshill
Isle of Wight Contacts:
Upper Chine Holiday Cottages & Appartments: Danny Bowkis / Joy Marshall Tel. 01983 867900
Model Village Godshill Ltd: Stuart and Penny Dyer Tel. 01983 840 270 / 07799 626552
DORSET
Runner Up:
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year - Monkey World, Wareham
(The winner was Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, Bucks).
Dorset Contacts:
Monkey World - Ape Rescue Centre: Sue Legg Tel. 01929 462537