Organisers of the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards reveal shortlist for the event which takes place in March 2023. Tony McDonough reports

 

Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards organisers have revealed the shortlist across 18 categories.

An expert judging panel has whittled down the entrants. They will now go forward to the event ceremony which takes place at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday, March 2, 2023. They are organised by economic development agency Growth Platform.

The 18 categories include awards for Hotel of the Year, Experience of the Year as well as best Hidden Gem. One award being reintroduced is the category for the Business Events Venue of the year. This is to reflect the successful return of meetings and conference events following the pandemic.

From the list, 13 of the winners will go forward to the Visit England Awards in June 2023. Liverpool restaurant Lu Ban won gold at the 2022 ceremony in Birmingham earlier this year.

Janet Nuzum, sector lead for visitor economy at Growth Platform, said: “It is pleasing to see so many applications received this year and in particular, it is great that so many businesses have entered the New Tourism Business category.

“From restaurants to accommodation to experiences, it’s thrilling to see amazing new venues opening, after what has been a particularly difficult time for the sector.”

For the Hidden Gem category the public is being asked to choose a winner. The aim is to identify the ‘best kept’ tourism secret in Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, Wirral, Halton or St Helens. You can click here to nominate.

Headline sponsor for the awards will again be Liverpool BID Company, with associate sponsors Liverpool ONE and Lexus Liverpool.

Other sponsors confirmed are ACC Liverpool, Bolland & Lowe, BDO LLP, EPIC, The Guide Liverpool, Knowsley Safari Park, Liverpool Cathedral, Lu Ban Restaurant, Merseyrail, The Metro, National Museums Liverpool, Ticket Quarter and Wirral Chamber of Commerce.

The full shortlist is:

B&B and Guest House of the Year
Hotel Anfield

Sunnyside Guest House
The Braemar Southport

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year    

Cumberland House

Mrs Blodget’s by EPIC

Staybridge Suites Liverpool
The Eden Warehouse

 

Hotel of the Year   
Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa
Hope Street Hotel

INNSiDe by Melia Liverpool
Pullman Liverpool
Titanic Hotel Liverpool

 

Business Events Venue

Aintree Racecourse

INNSiDE by Melia Liverpool

Museum of Liverpool

PINS Social Club

 

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award
Liverpool ONE

Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust
Sunnyside Guest House

 

New Tourism Business Award
Cains Brewery

Escape Live Liverpool

Lerpwl

Mamasan

Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse Liverpool

 

Resilience and Innovation Award
Quirky Quarter

Royal Liver Building 360 Tour

Sunnyside Guest House

St Luke’s Bombed Out Church C.I.C.

 

Independent Tourism Business of the Year 

Duke Street Food and Drink Market
Fab 4 Taxi Tours

iStay Liverpool

Lock & Key Hotel, Bar & Kitchen

Sunnyside Guest House Southport

The Romans

Taste of Liverpool Award – Café/Bistro of the Year

Bold Street Coffee
Cafe Tabac

Caffe Cream of New Brighton

The Egg Vegetarian Café

The Watering Can

Taste of Liverpool Award – Restaurant of the Year
Antonio’s Bar & Grill

Fazenda

Lerpwl

Lu Ban Restaurant

The London Carriage Works

 

Pub of the Year      

Liverpool Gin Distillery
The Bridewell
The Denbigh Castle
The Guelder Rose Southport

The Windmill Southport

 

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year     

British Music Experience

Quirky Quarter

Royal Liver Building 360 Tour
Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust
Strawberry Field

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year     

Liverpool Cathedral
Mersey Ferries

National Trust, Speke Hall

Royal Albert Dock Liverpool

The Beatles Story

 

Experience of the Year
Bongo’s Bingo

Gin Lab Experience – Liverpool Gin Distillery

City and Beatles Tour – Liverpool City Sights

National Trust, Beatles’ Childhood Homes

Old Dock Tour – National Museums Liverpool

Shiverpool’s Famous Hope St Shivers

The Romans

Tourism Young Person of the Year
Elen McKewan, The Bridewell

Jess Taylor, Lu Ban Restaurant

Josh McCafferty, Pullman Liverpool

Nic Slessinger, Masons/Epic

Neve Sutton, Hosted by National Museums Liverpool

Simone Greyling, 2030 Hub

 

Unsung Hero Award         

Jake Lovatt, Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa

Joe Lenden, Liverpool Gin Distillery

Kayleigh Cox, Lu Ban Restaurant

Tom Ford, Delifonseca Dockside
Veronica Matthews, Pullman Liverpool