Sunnyside Guest House in Southport was among three double winners at last night’s Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards.
The award-winning venue was crowned B&B / Guest House of the Year and also collected the increasingly popular Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award.
Sunnyside was also a Finalist in the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism category.
The other double winners were Strawberry Field, immortalised in a Beatles song, which scooped the Small Visitor Attraction award while its Imagine More Café was named Taste Café /Bistro of the Year – and Wirral’s Eureka! Science + Discovery, which won the New Tourism Business category and the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award.
The Windmill pub on Seabank Road in Southport was honoured as a Finalist in the Pub Of The Year category for the fourth year in a row.
Held at Liverpool Cathedral and delivered by Liverpool City Region’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership and the Combined Authority, the glittering awards recognised excellence across the city region’s tourism and hospitality industry during 2024.
The Beatles Story picked up the International Tourism Award, a new category which recognises businesses who provide an unforgettable visitor experience for international visitors, whilst the coveted Hotel of the Year award went to Titanic Hotel Liverpool.
Southport has secured a clean sweep in the B&B and Guest House of the Year category, with Sunnyside Guest House winning and The Bowden Lodge and The Braemar Southport shortlisted.
Tik Taco Mexican Cantina was a Finalist in the Restaurant of the Year category.
Garden By The Bay and The Eden Warehouse in Southport were recognised in the Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year category.
The Lake House in Waterloo was a Finalist in the Business Events Category.
The new Salt & Tar events space in Bootle, which hosted gigs by Sir Tom Jones, Red Rum Club and Status Quo this summer, was a Finalist in the New Tourism Business Award category and also in the Entertainment Venue of the Year section.
Crosby Coffee and The Lake House were Finalists in the Café / Bistro of the Year category.
The ‘Liverpool City Region Hidden Gem’ award – the only category voted for by the public and recognising the region’s best kept secret – went to Wallasey Beach Club. The lively community hub is a hotspot for water sports enthusiasts featuring kitesurfing, swimming and sailing.
There were no Southport Finalists in the top 10 this year.
The evening culminated with two special awards. The Outstanding Contribution to Tourism award went to Michael Eakin OBE – for his services as Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic which is seen as a key cultural institution in the city region’s visitor economy. Cunard picked up the Special Recognition Award for their contribution to Liverpool’s cruise sector and their impact on both the visitor economy and wider city region economy. Last year the Queen Anne naming ceremony brought tens of thousands of visitors to Liverpool’s waterfront and this year the company will be celebrating its 185th anniversary of its first transatlantic service from Liverpool to North America in the city.
Other winners included Liverpool Football Club Tours & Experiences (Large Visitor Attraction of the Year), Shakespeare North Playhouse (Entertainment Venue of the Year) and Mersey Ferries’ Philip Barnes (Tourism Young Person of the Year).
The evening was hosted by Kevin Duala of BBC Radio Merseyside and guests were welcomed with a drinks reception sponsored by Liverpool Football Club with entertainment from VIP Puppets and students from LIPA.
Councillor Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Business, Investment and Trade said:
“Huge congratulations to all the winners as well as the shortlisted businesses and individuals, at this year’s Tourism Awards. Tourism is a major economic driver in Liverpool City Region, and it is the dedication and passion of those working in the tourism sector that makes our region the world-class destination that it is – driving growth, creating jobs, and contributing billions to our economy.”
Headline sponsor of the awards were Liverpool BID Company and their Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communication, Katie Bentley, said:
“We are honoured to be able to offer our continued support for the annual awards. It’s so important to cast a spotlight on the very best in our world-famous tourism industry. It’s been such a special year and we are excited to celebrate the innovation, the commitment to audiences and the creativity on show. This is such a valuable industry that contributes so much to our local economy and international reputation.”
Associate sponsor was Liverpool ONE with category sponsors being ACC Liverpool, B&L Creative, BDO LLP, City of Liverpool College, The Guide Liverpool, Kimpton, Knowsley Safari, Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, London Northwestern Railway, Merseyrail, National Museums Liverpool, PIB Insurance, The Art School, Ticket Quarter, Virgin Experience Days and Wild Thang.
The awards were also supported by Cool Breeze Events, Liverpool Football Club, The Metro, MSP Global, and Punch Tarmey’s with the charity partner Local Solutions My Time.
Full list of winners:
Tourism Young Person of the Year – sponsored by City of Liverpool College and The Art School
WINNER: Philip Barnes, Mersey Ferries
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jack Frank, Hilton Liverpool
Unsung Hero Award – sponsored by Liverpool ONE
WINNER: Mark McKenna, Liverpool Tourist Information Centre
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Veso Mihaylov, The Jacaranda/Jacaranda Baltic
B&B and Guest House of the Year – sponsored by Liverpool Cathedral
WINNER: Sunnyside Guest House Southport
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year – sponsored by Knowsley Safari
WINNER: Quest Liverpool City Centre
Hotel of the Year – sponsored by Liverpool BID Company
WINNER: Titanic Hotel Liverpool
Business Events Venue – sponsored by National Museums Liverpool
WINNER: Aintree Racecourse
New Tourism Business Award – sponsored by BDO LLP
WINNER: Eureka! Science + Discovery
Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award – sponsored by Kimpton
WINNER: Sunnyside Guest House
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Future Yard
Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award – sponsored by ACC Liverpool
WINNER: Eureka! Science + Discovery
International Tourism Award – sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport
WINNER: The Beatles Story
Taste of Liverpool Award – Café/Bistro of the Year – sponsored by B&L Creative
WINNER: Imagine More Café at Strawberry Field
Taste of Liverpool Award – Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by PIB Insurance
WINNER: Antonio’s Bar & Grill
Pub of the Year – sponsored by Wild Thang
WINNER: The One O’Clock Gun
Entertainment Venue of the Year – sponsored by London Northwestern Railway
WINNER: Shakespeare North Playhouse
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Arts Bar Hope Street
Experience of the Year – sponsored by Merseyrail
WINNER: Fab 4 Taxi Tours
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year – sponsored by Ticket Quarter
WINNER: Strawberry Field
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – sponsored by Virgin Experience Days
WINNER: Liverpool Football Club Tours & Experiences
Liverpool City Region Hidden Gem – sponsored by The Guide Liverpool
WINNER: Wallasey Beach Club
Special Recognition Award – awarded by the Local Visitor Economy Partnership Board
WINNER: Cunard
Outstanding Contribution to Tourism – awarded by the Local Visitor Economy Partnership Board
WINNER: Michael Eakin OBE
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