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VIDEO - The Visit York Tourism Awards 2019
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Published by David Dunning at 11:56pm 20th June 2019. (Updated at 1:32pm 21st June 2019)
It was a celebration of the best that York and North Yorkshire has to offer visitors.
The 2019 Visit York Awards took place on Thursday night at the National Railway Museum.
If winning be the food of love, win on...
— Shakespeare's Rose Theatre (@ShakespearesRT) 20 June 2019
Incredible to have won Newcomer of the Year. ⭐️ 🌹 #VYTA19 #newcomeroftheyear #ShakespearesRT pic.twitter.com/slJMlU5hAC
James Cundall, the man behind Shakespeare's Rose Theatre was honoured with three awards.
The World of James Herriot in Thirsk was voted Attraction of the Year (Under 50k Visitors) on the eve of its official 20th Anniversary.
It was announced that we will see next years ceremony in April not June so everyone has a chance to take part in the Visit England awards too.
VIDEO - Head of Visit York, Paul Whiting:
#VYTA2019 awards @VisitYork @MakeItYork #york head of Visit York @IamPaulWhiting talks about another great night and changes to next years schedule @minsterfm news pic.twitter.com/HUMqf2baW0
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
Sponsors LNER gave everyone a taste of things to come on the East Coast Main Line.
The Azuma Train, the first new express train on the London to Edinburgh route for nearly 30 years arrives in the city in August.
This is the Azuma Biscuit.
Host Ben Fry, from the Minster FM Breakfast Show, arrived to start the event after a video showing him taking a preview trip on the new train.
He is also the Town Crier of York and made his first welcoming address in his official suit.
#VYTA19 @VisitYork awards underway @railwaymuseum #york with @LNER and @BenMinsterFM @minsterfm pic.twitter.com/OEkCDmFXhf
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
VIDEO - James Cundall picks up Tourism Champion Award.
Tourism champion 2019 Well done James @ShakespearesRT #york #VYTA2019 @VisitYork @MakeItYork @minsterfm @LNER pic.twitter.com/YsrQUYF7Lw
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
VIDEO - Tourism champion 2019 Well done James @ShakespearesRT #york #VYTA2019 @VisitYork awards @MakeItYork @minsterfm @LNER pic.twitter.com/ABMM26KNM8
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
He paid tribute to the other winners and said that his award was something that he didn't expect.
It was, he added, a treat to get something like this in his home city.
"To play a small part in the tourist offering in our city is a great joy"
20 years of The World of James Herriot in Thirsk
Celebrating the life and work of a North Riding country vet and world famous author, the visitor centre has been bringing people to Thirsk since 1999.
Ian Ashton is the MD and said their award for Visitor Attraction (Under 50k) was so nice as they had worked so hard to put the museum on the map.
Visitor attraction of the year (under 50k visitors) #vyta19 @VisitYork @MakeItYork @lner awards Winner is @jamesherriot in #Thirsk AND THE NIGHT BEFORE ITS 20th ANNIVERSARY TOO !! @minsterfm news. Here’s MD Ian Ashton pic.twitter.com/UscutYhFaP
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
City Cruises York won the Attraction of the Year award for over 50k visitors
Visitor Attraction of the Year (over 50k) #VYTA19 @VisitYork #york is @citycruisesyork well done 😎 @minsterfm news pic.twitter.com/JRqo9g8fp0
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
Other winners included:
Visitor experience of the year @yorkmaze hallowscream #VYTA19 #york @VisitYork @LNER with @minsterfm pic.twitter.com/gSyI2X9KjU
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
Hotel of the Year #VYTA19 @VisitYork @grayscourtyork #york @minsterfm news pic.twitter.com/VZfX3pZJXO
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
Tourism supplier of the year is @yorkgin #VYTA19 @VisitYork @LNER @MakeItYork #york @minsterfm pic.twitter.com/jFVQ9QLIaS
— DavidDunninguk (@daviddunninguk) June 20, 2019
The Principal Hotel in York won two awards, Best Conference Venue and Tearoom of the Year which delighted staff who have worked very hard to maintain the standards and reputation of one of the city's iconic hotels.
Their Afternoon Tea service has a formidable reputation for quality food served with stunning views.
All the Winner and Nominees
Two new categories were introduced this year with York Gin scooping the title of ‘Best Tourism Supplier’ and Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre being crowned for their efforts in ‘Innovation in Tourism’.
Marking its 22nd year, the Visit York Tourism Awards celebrate those who offer that extra special service and experience for York’s 6.9 million visitors, recognising and rewarding excellence in the city’s multi-million pound tourism sector.
Fresh off of their success from the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 list, Tommy Banks’ Roots scooped the ’Restaurant of the Year’ title.
The Shop That Must Not Be Named was awarded the title of the ‘Shop of the Year’ for their magical ability to bring people from around the globe to experience the world of wizardry.
Paul Whiting, Head of Visit York, said:
“We congratulate all the winners and finalists of this year’s Tourism Awards for their continued dedication for improving the visitor experience in the city and beyond.
The tourism offer in York is outstanding and each year we are continually impressed with what is achieved.”
Headline sponsor LNER attended the ceremony, with David Horne, Managing Director of LNER:
“It was great to celebrate some of the brilliant individuals and businesses that help make York such a fantastic place to visit.
As a result of their hard work, we see people from across the world travelling with us to the region to see the famous sites and attractions on offer.
I’d like to say a big congratulations to all the winners and those shortlisted for a fantastic year.”
Winners of the Visit York Tourism Awards 2019:
Pub or Bar of the Year
Sponsored by Hunter Gee Holroyd
Winner: Walmgate Ale House
Finalists:
Cut & Chase
The Whippet Inn
Self Catering Venue of the Year
Sponsored by HomeAway
Winner: York Old Brewery
Highly Commended: The House at Crooked End
Finalists:
Studford Luxury Lodges
Conference Venue of the Year
Sponsored by Saville Group
Winner: The Principal York
Finalists:
The Grand, York
York Racecourse
Newcomer of the Year
Sponsored by Hungate York Regeneration
Winner: Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre
Finalists:
Roots York
The Enchantment Chamber
Bed & Breakfast or Guest House of the Year
Sponsored by Booking.com
Winner: Tower Guest House
Finalists:
No. 21 York
Tourism Supplier of the Year
Sponsored by P&O Ferries
Winner: York Gin
Finalists:
Biffa
Pick & Mix Marketing
Pyper York
Hotel of the Year
Sponsored by Streamline Taxis
Winner: Grays Court Hotel
Finalists:
Hotel Indigo
The Black Swan Hotel
The Grand, York
The Principal York
Visitor Attraction of the Year (Over 50,000 Visitors)
Sponsored by Fowlers of York
Winner: City Cruises York
Finalists:
Flamingo Land Resort
JORVIK Viking Centre
The York Dungeon
Yorkshire Museum
Visitor Attraction of the Year (under 50,000 visitors)
Sponsored by City Cruises
Winner: World of James Herriot
Finalists:
The Black Sheep Brewery
The Ghost Bus Tours
York Army Museum
Huge congrats to Mad Alice @BloodyTourYork who’s won Guided Tour of the Year at the Visit York Tourism Awards 😀
— York Gin (@yorkgin) 20 June 2019
Her Bloody Tour of York is brilliant. Alice is entertaining crowds in the @ShakespearesRT village all summer too 🎭@VisitYorkBiz #VYTA19https://t.co/0SJLpELAYU pic.twitter.com/MG50K3l2V3
Guided Tour of the Year
Sponsored by Colour Options
Winner: The Bloody Tour of York
Finalists:
Castle Howard
City Cruises York
York’s Chocolate Story
The Restaurant of the Year is…@RootsYork – Congratulations! #VYTA19 pic.twitter.com/V6xtomKRx8
— Visit York Biz (@VisitYorkBiz) 20 June 2019
Restaurant of the Year
Sponsored by Morrell Middleton
Winner: Roots, York
Finalists:
The Whippet Inn
The Chopping Block
Vaqueiros Brazilian Rodizio
Café or Tearoom of the Year
Sponsored by Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors
Winner: The Principal Hotel Garden Room
Finalist:
Crumbs Cupcakery
The Balloon Tree Farmshop & Café
The Countess of York
Shop of the Year
Sponsored by Minster FM
Winner: The Shop That Must Not Be Named
Finalists:
Demijohn
The Balloon Tree Farmshop & Café
Wild & Westbrooke
Innovation in Tourism
Sponsored by The University of York
Winner: Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre
Highly Commended: Yorkshire’s Jurassic World at the Yorkshire Museum
Finalist:
Castle Howard
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The Grand, York
We won! Best Visitor Experience of the Year...and we've got even more in store for you all this Hallowscream!! #BringTheScreams #vyta19 pic.twitter.com/PYX8pyWDEm
— YorkMazeHallowscream (@YMHallowscream) 20 June 2019
Visitor Experience of the Year
Sponsored by Yorkshire Gas & Power
Winner: York Maze Hallowscream
Finalists:
The Bloody Tour of York
JORVIK Viking Festival
Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre
Visit York Tourism Champion 2019
Sponsored by LNER
Awarded to: James Cundall MBE
The BIGGEST thanks to our hosts this evening @BenMinsterFM from @minsterfm. The first town crier we’ve ever had to host the #VYTA19 – you were brilliant! pic.twitter.com/2GzPuCzvT8
— Visit York Biz (@VisitYorkBiz) 20 June 2019
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