GOLD & SILVER in those ole’ Weardale hills!
Weardale tops the league for high-quality Tourism
At the North-East Tourism awards for 2011, Members of the Weardale Visitor Network scooped up TWO Gold Awards and one Silver Award for Weardale-based tourism businesses. Durham Dales Tourist Information Centre in Stanhope, won Tourism Information Centre of the Year, and Dowfold House in Crook took away the prestigious Bed & Breakfast of the Year award. To complete the night’s success for Weardale, Killhope Lead Mining Museum in Cowshill, received the Silver Award for Sustainable Tourism. The Awards took place at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, on 6th October 2011. Now, the two Regional Gold Award winners will go on to represent the North-East at the National Awards, in 2012.
Geoff Hodgson, chairman of the North East Tourism Advisory Board, said: “The quality of this year’s finalists has shone through in the judging process – their commitment to providing a first-class experience for their customers and constantly improving their business is what helps makes the North-East such a great place to visit.”
“Congratulations to all of our award winners. Durham benefits from having a wide range of high quality tourism businesses and these awards are a fantastic way for a business to demonstrate that they are the best of the best. Awards help to raise the profile of both business and county, really putting Durham as a destination on the map,” said Melanie Sensicle, chief executive, Visit County Durham.
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Jill Richardson, Dowfold House, Crook, receiving her GOLD award for Best Bed and Breakfast of the Year.
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GOLD - BED AND BREAKFAST OF THE YEAR
Dowfold House won Silver in 2010, but this year has taken Gold, for the Bed & Breakfast of the Year. Jill Richardson, on receiving the trophy said: “We really didn’t think we’d win among such strong contenders – but we did, and it’s a real shot in the arm for the hard work we’ve put in over the past five years at Dowfold House. Now, we’ve just got to live up to it, which may well be the hardest part.” Said the judges of Dowfold House: “This four star, gold-rated Victorian house B&B offers an outstanding experience for visitors from start to finish with spacious and airy rooms, high quality fittings and furnishings and outstanding customer service”.
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GOLD - BEST TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE
The Tourist Information Centre in Stanhope, County Durham, was a gold award winner, in the Tourist Information Centre of the Year Award. It is based in the Durham County Council-owned and managed Dales Business Centre, which generates a significant chunk of its own operating costs through a cafe, shops and businesses based there. Said Judith Crow: “This accolade recognises the first class quality service the centre provides to all. I feel this properly applauds the excellent work that my team deliver.”
(Image - clockwise from top left, Judith Crow, Donna Coates, Gillian Welsh, Jennie Ward, Judith Hamilton and Kathryn Lowe.)
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SILVER - SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Killhope is an award-winning visitor attraction, where people can discover the lives of Victorian lead-mining families. Said Mike Boase, of its Silver Award for the Sustainable Tourism Award: “It’s strange to think of a Victorian lead mine being ‘green’, but we work hard to ensure that what we do complements the environment, rather than taking more out of it than has gone already. This award is a tribute to our enthusiastic and caring staff, and it will only drive us on to do even
(Mike Boase -right - is presented with Silver Award for Sustainable Tourism)
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As John Taylor, Chair of Weardale Visitor Network, pointed out: “We’re proud of the high-quality service that all the members of the Network deliver to visitors to the area. As such these Awards are well-deserved, and show the world what Weardale has to offer.”
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