Shortlist revealed for city region tourism awards

There are 17 categories in the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards taking place at LIverpool Cathedral in March and the shortlist has been revealed. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards will be held in Liverpool Cathedral. Picture by Gareth Jones

 

Knowsley Safari Park, Duke Street Food and Drink Market, Cafe Tabac and Cruise Liverpool are all among the diverse list of finalists for the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards.

Taking place at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday, March 10 2022, the awards will be held in person for the first time since 2019. Last year’s ceremony was a virtual event due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

And organisers of the awards, Growth Platform in association with Liverpool BID Company – see the event as a celebration of the resilience of the local tourism sector which has endured the most turbulent period in its recent history.

Every year the judging panel sifts through the many applications to narrow down the very best, who will now go forward to the final judging panel ahead of the ceremony. Peter Sandman, head of visitor economy development at Growth Platform, said: “It’s great to see the visitor economy sector throwing their support behind these awards.

“This year we have seen close to a 40% increase in applications with many of those being new businesses getting involved for the first time. We are privileged to hold the event in such a stunning venue and to be able to celebrate our unique, diverse and resilient sector in style.”

The 17 categories include awards for best hotel, restaurant, and attractions, alongside some new awards for ‘Resilience and Innovation’ and ‘Unsung Hero’ with the return of the ‘Hidden Gem’ category which highlights the city region’s best kept secrets and is put to a public vote.

Liverpool BID Company is the headline sponsor and also supporting the awards is Quest Liverpool, Liverpool ONE and National Museums Liverpool as associate sponsors with ACC Liverpool, BDO LLP, Epic, Lu Ban Restaurant, Merseyrail, Ticket Quarter and Wirral Chamber as category sponsors.

Borealis
Cruise Liverpool is on the shortist for this year’s awards. Picture by Ian Fairbrother

 

Today we are also announcing the ‘Hidden Gem’ category will be back again for 2021. This category will be voted for by the public and will recognise the region’s ‘best kept secret’.

Organisers want to hear what people think is the best gem in the Liverpool city region, whether that be in Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, or Wirral. Gems may be attractions, bars, restaurants, tours, or natural assets which are off the main tourism trail. What is the city region’s best kept secret?

Sponsoring the ‘Hidden Gem’ category is The Guide. Director Jay Hynd said: “Liverpool city region is packed full of hidden gems, all shining bright waiting to be discovered by tourists and visitors to our area.”

By nominating a ‘Hidden Gem’, they could be catapulted into the Tourism Awards spotlight. Further details can be found at www.lcrtourismawards.com

The shortlist is for the awards is: 

New Tourism Business Award   

Boom Battle Bar: Liverpool

Liverpool Food Tours

Liverpool VRVE

MerseyMade

SKAUS Store & Cafe

Independent Tourism Business of the Year  

Duke Street Food and Drink Market

Fab 4 Taxi Tours

Liverpool Beatles Museum

Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres

Liverpool Food Tours

MerseyMade

Shiverpool

Taste of Liverpool Award – Café/Bistro of the Year 

Benty Farm Tearooms

Bold Street Coffee

Cafe Tabac

Caffe Cream of New Brighton

Taste of Liverpool Award – Restaurant of the Year  

Buyers Club

Delifonseca Dockside

Lu Ban Restaurant

Lunya

Marco Pierre Steakhouse Bar & Grill Liverpool

The London Carriage Works

Pub of the Year 

Liverpool Gin Distillery

Masons

The Bridewell

The Denbigh Castle

The Windmill Southport

Resilience and Innovation Award

Cruise Liverpool

Liverpool ONE

Liverpool Philharmonic

Lu Ban Restaurant

Lunya

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award

Redstones Cottage

Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust

Strawberry Field

B&B and Guest House of the Year

Sunnyside Guest House

The Braemar Southport

The Heidi Bed & Breakfast

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
EPIC Apartments

Quest Liverpool City Centre

Staybridge Suites Liverpool

Staycity Aparthotels, Liverpool, Waterfront

Hotel of the Year    

Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa

Hope Street Hotel

Pullman Liverpool

Titanic Hotel Liverpool

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year  

Royal Liver Building 360

Sefton Park Palm House

Strawberry Field

Western Approaches

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year      

Knowsley Safari

Liverpool Cathedral

Tate Liverpool

The Atkinson

World Museum

Experience of the Year     

British Music Experience

Liverpool Food Tours

Shiverpool

Treasure Trails

Unsung Hero Award          

Connie Blakemore, Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa

Gerard Madden, The Bridewell

Hannah Todd, The Interesting Eating Company

Phil Phillips, National Museums Liverpool

Tourism Young Person of the Year      

Carlotta Cervia, Hilton Liverpool City Centre

Dana Heard, Camp and Furnace

Emily Doyle, Lu Ban Restaurant

Jaime Stanton, Woodside Ferry Village

Mark Langan, Holiday Inn Express

Victoria Smith, Shiverpool

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