Dorset Tourism Awards winners

A day-long online Dorset Tourism Awards ceremony honoured the county's “resilient, creative and innovative” tourism businesses after two years of the pandemic.

The awards revealed 54 winners, with three more to be announced at an in-person event in May.

Pubs, cafés, attractions, activity providers and restaurants were recognised alongside accommodation providers in 23 categories. Winners included many new entrants to the awards, alongside several past winners continuing to excel.

West Bay Discovery Centre won Gold in both Visitor Information Service of the Year and the Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Business categories.

Discovery Centre Trustee John West said: “We are absolutely delighted with this achievement. Having won the new Business Award only two years ago and since then having to face the challenges of Covid, just to have reached the finals this time was amazing and a great accolade for all the team at the centre.

"We are only a small centre, with a part-time manager and a fantastic group of volunteers so it is great honour to be amongst some of Dorset’s best known tourist attractions.

“Care for the environment and promoting sustainability has always been central to what we do, so winning gold in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism category means a lot to us.  Being so close to the sea we daily see the impacts of human life on the natural environment.

He added: “Once again West Dorset has been prominent in the finals clearly demonstrating what an amazing tourism sector we have.”

The Discovery Centre is reopening on Saturday, February 19 for half term and will return to six day opening from March 22.

The Station Kitchen, West Bay is no stranger to awards having won a number of accolades from different organisations. The venue, converted railway carriages turned into luxury dining areas based at the old station at West Bay is owned by Ross and Claire Moore.

It won gold in Casual Dining & Restaurant Award.

Ross and Claire said: "We are over the moon to announce that we have scooped the award. We are so, so proud of our wonderful team, you make it a pleasure to come to work every day.

"Thank you to our amazingly supportive customers, we value each and every one of you.

"Congratulations to all the other winners and finalists.

"2022 has already been an amazing year, long may it continue."

The Cox family who run West Dorset Leisure Holidays also have reason to celebrate as two of their parks came out on top in the Holiday Park of the Year category - Highlands End Holiday Park at Eype and Golden Cap Holiday Park at Seatown.

The company said: "We're over the moon to announce that we officially have the top two holiday parks in Dorset. Highlands End has won Gold for the second time and Golden Cap has won Silver, a fantastic achievement for our first year of entering this park in the Dorset Tourism Awards.

"There are so many fantastic holiday parks out there, including Waterside Holiday Park & Spa, which is a very worthy finalist, so to have won two of the top awards in Dorset is truly fantastic. It really reflects the hard work that our teams put in to making your holiday experience amazing."

Dorset Forest Garden Glamping, Beaminster won Glamping Business of the Year and achieved Silver in the Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism category.

Owners Tracy and James Oldfield said: "In a county full of fabulous hospitality businesses, to be recognised for one award is a real honour but to be recognised in two different categories is a sign that a business has put in a great deal of hard work following a vision over several years."

The couple took over their 20 acres of rural Dorset in 1998 and over time have planted more than 2,000 trees, built their own eco home based on the principles of a ‘passive house’, and installed solar panels, amongst a myriad of other green initiatives. They started their Glamping business using shepherd's huts in 2016 using permaculture principles.

Beaminster-based Tangerine Café & Gallery received Silver in the Café and Tearoom of the Year category.

Tangerine opened in 2019 and has rapidly become renowned in the town and surrounding area for its range of homemade cakes, brunches and lunches, and quality tea and coffee. Owners Chris and Sue Sims have been determined to see Tangerine develop despite the setback of closures due to Covid 19.

Other local Gold winners include The Acorn Inn, Evershot (Pub of the Year); the Form exhibition at Sculpture by the Lakes (Tourism Event /Festival of the Year); Monkton Wyld Holiday Park (Camping & Caravanning Park of the Year).

 

2021/22 DORSET TOURISM AWARDS

FINALISTS & COMMENDED (in alphabetical order)

 

ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD sponsored by Bournemouth University

Gold

• Ellwood Cottages, Blandford Forum

 

APPRENTICESHIP SPECIAL AWARD sponsored by NFU Mutual Bournemouth

Gold

• To be announced in May

 

B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Goadsby

Gold

• St John’s Guest House, Weymouth,  @Fishersdream

Silver

• Channel View Guesthouse, Weymouth

 

BUSINESS EVENTS & WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Furleigh Estate

Gold - Business Events Venue of the Year

• Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth, @MarshamCourt

Gold – Wedding Venue of the Year

• Highcliffe Castle, Christchurch, @HighcliffeC

 

CAFÉ/TEAROOM OF THE YEAR sponsored by Clipper

Gold

• Picnic Park Deli, Bournemouth @picnicparkdeli

Silver

• Tangerine Café & Gallery, Beaminster @TangerineCafe1

Bronze

• EBIKE Café @ Deheers, Weymouth

Commended

• Pause Cat Café, Bournemouth, @PauseCatCafe 

 

CAMPING & CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR sponsored by Anytime Booking

Gold

• Monkton Wyld Holiday Park, Charmouth, @Monkton_Wyld

Silver

• South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Poole, @campsitedorset

Bronze

• Higher Moor Farm Campsite, Weymouth, @HigherMoorFarm

 

CASUAL DINING & RESTAURANT AWARD sponsored by Furleigh Estate

Gold

• The Station Kitchen, Bridport, @StationKitchen

Silver

• Nicetta, Weymouth

Bronze

· Shalims Indian Restaurant, Weymouth, @ShalimsBalti

 

DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Pear Marketing

Gold

• Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth, @MarshamCourt

Silver

• Burnbake Campsite and Forest Lodges, Corfe Castle @burnbake_dorset

Commended

• Polygon Pets Ltd, Poole, polygonpets.com

 

ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD sponsored by Bournemouth Water

Gold

• West Bay Discovery Centre, Bridport, @WestBayDC

Silver

• Dorset Forest Garden Glamping, Beaminster

Commended

• Naked Coffee, Bournemouth, @nakedcoffeeuk

 

EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR (ACTIVE OR LEARNING) sponsored by Saffery Champness

Gold

• All Hallows’ Farmhouse Cookery School, Wimborne St Giles

Silver

• Jurassic Coast Guides, Milborne St Andrew, @jurassicguides

Bronze 

• Shore Campers – Campervan Hire, Bournemouth, @ShoreCampers

 

GLAMPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, sponsored by NFU Mutual Wessex

 Gold

• Dorset Forest Garden Glamping, Beaminster

Silver

• The Yurt at Hollands Farmhouse, Dorchester

Bronze  

• At Goathill Farm, Sherborne

 

HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR sponsored by Tozers

Gold

• Highlands End Holiday Park, Bridport, @WDLH

Silver

• Golden Cap Holiday Park, Chideock, @WDLH

Bronze 

• Waterside Holiday Park & Spa, Weymouth, @watersidedorset

Commended

• Durdle Door Holiday Park, Lulworth, @DurdleDoorHP

 

LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Hotel Perfect

Gold

• Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth, @MarshamCourt

Silver

• Holiday Inn Bournemouth, @HolidayInnBMTH

Bronze 

• RNLI College, Poole, @RNLI

Commended

• Moonfleet Manor Hotel, Weymouth

 

LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Love To Visit

Gold

• Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Ashley Heath, @moorsvalley

Silver

• Dorset Museum, Dorchester, @DorsetMuseum

Commended

• Adventure Wonderland, Christchurch, @wonderlandparks

 

NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD sponsored by Visit Dorset

Gold

• Carey’s Secret Garden, Wareham, @CareysSecret

Silver

• The King’s Arms, Dorchester, @thekingsarms_so

Bronze

• At Goathill Farm, Sherborne

Commended

• Apex Expeditions, Poundbury

 

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO DORSET TOURISM sponsored by Darren Northeast PR

• To be announced in May

 

PUB OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Dorset Food & Drink

Gold

• The Acorn Inn, Evershot, @Acorn_Inn

Silver

• The Grosvenor Arms, Shaftesbury, @GrosvenorDorset

Bronze

• The Cross Keys, Sherborne, @crosskeyssherb

 

RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION AWARD sponsored by Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Tourism

Gold

• Weymouth Bay RIB Charter, Weymouth

Silver

• Shore Campers – Campervan Hire, Bournemouth, @ShoreCampers

Bronze

• Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington,  @SculptureLakes

 

SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Touch Stay

Gold

• Spring Cottage, Wareham, @LulworthEstate

Silver

• Greenwood Grange Holidays, Dorchester, @GreenwoodGrang1

Bronze

·Frog by the Sea, Chideock

 

SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Clockwork Marketing

Gold

• The PIG-on the Beach, Studland, @The_PIG_Hotel

Silver

• The Grange at Oborne, Sherborne, @GrangeatOborne

Bronze

• The Grosvenor Arms, Shaftesbury, @GrosvenorDorset

 

SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Resort Dorset

Gold

• Nothe Fort, Weymouth, @NotheFort

Silver

• Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington,  @SculptureLakes

Bronze

• West Bay Discovery Centre, Bridport, @WestBayDC

Commended

• Bridport Museum Trust, Bridport, @BridportMuseum

 

TOURISM EVENT / FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Dorset Magazine

Finalists

• FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition: Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington,  @SculptureLakes

 

UNSUNG HERO AWARD sponsored by Sculpture by the Lakes

Gold

• Christine Hughes, Moors Valley Country Park, @moorsvalley

Silver

• Mick Callaghan, Bournemouth Electric Club, Bournemouth

 

VISITOR INFORMATION SERVICE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Yellow Buses

Finalists

• West Bay Discovery Centre, Bridport, @WestBayDC

 

WINNER OF WINNERS sponsored by Dorset LEP

• To be announced in May