Southport businesses will be out in force when the 2023 Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards takes place tonight (Thursday 2nd March 2023).
Several venues in our town have been recognised for the outstanding levels of service they provide to visitors.
They include Southport attractions, guest houses, pubs, cafes, self-catering accommodation and restaurants and show how much Southport has to offer.
Everyone in the town will be wishing them well as they compete for the top honours against finalists from across the Liverpool City Region.
Among the categories is the Hidden Gem Awards where Southport has an incredible FOUR finalists among the 10 selected.
They are: Cranberry’s Café; Silcocks Carousel; Southport Bijou Cinema, and Tik Taco.
Silcock’s Operations Manager Serena Silcock-Prince said: “We are incredibly proud as a family that our Carousel has been recognised in the Hidden Gem category in this year’s Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards! We want to thank everyone who has nominated us.”
Tik Taco owner Anthony Greenland said: “It’s an amazing achievement to be recognised as a Hidden Gem in Merseyside after such a short amount of time since we have been open.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without all the hard work, from my family, the staff who go above and beyond and of course more importantly the customers.”
Sunnyside Bed and Breakfast, on Bath Street in Southport town centre, has been shortlisted for no less than FOUR top awards this year – after winning the title of Guest House of the Year last year.
Sunnyside is shortlisted for: B&B and Guest House of the Year; Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award; Resilience and Innovation Award; and Independent Tourism Business of the Year.
Anthony and Larissa Duffey said: “We are absolutely delighted we have been recognised by the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards. The standard is always very high and this year is no exception.
“The organisers received a large number of applications, so to be shortlisted in four categories is unbelievable.”
The Braemar Southport, also on Bath Street in Southport town centre, has been shortlisted for B&B and Guest House of the Year.
Eden Warehouse, on West Street, was shortlisted for Self Catering Accommodation of the Year.
The Guelder Rose pub on Marine Drive and The Windmill pub on Seabank Road in Southport town centre have both been recognised in the Pub of the Year category.
Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa is competing for Hotel of the Year, while Jake Lovatt, from Formby Hall Golf Resort and Spa has been shortlisted for the Unsung Hero Award.
The many applications have been scrutinised and narrowed down by an expert judging panel and will now go forward to the awards ceremony taking place at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday 2 March 2023.
The 18 categories this year 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 to reflect the successful return of meetings and conference events following the pandemic. Thirteen of the winners will then go forward to the Visit England Awards in June 2023, at which Liverpool restaurant, Lu Ban, won gold at the 2022 ceremony in Birmingham earlier this summer.
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”.
The headline sponsor is 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:
Hidden Gem
Cranberry’s Café Southport,
Future Yard, Birkenhead
Home Farm Restaurant Speke Hall, Liverpool
Red Brick Market, Liverpool
Silcocks Carousel, Southport
Southport Bijou Cinema, Southport
Ten Streets Social, Liverpool
The Welsford Bistro, Liverpool
The Wheelbarrow, Liverpool
Tik Taco, Southport
B&B and Guest House of the Year
Hotel Anfield
Sunnyside Guest House
The Braemar Southport
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year
The Eden Warehouse, Southport
Cumberland House
Mrs Blodget’s by EPIC
Staybridge Suites Liverpool
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
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