Southport BID feature by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Sunnyside Bed and Breakfast in Southport was among just three double winners at the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards – and it wasn’t their only cause for celebration!.
The award-winning venue, on Bath Street, was crowned B&B / Guest House of the Year and collected the increasingly popular Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award.
Sunnyside was a Finalist in the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism category.
Owners Anthony and Larissa Duffey were also celebrating their daughter Margot’s first birthday, who had her special day on Saturday. The tourism awards event at Liverpool Cathedral was their first night out without their daughter since she was born.
Southport enjoyed a clean sweep in the B&B and Guest House of the Year category, with The Bowden Lodge and The Braemar Southport both celebrated as Finalists.
Garden By The Bay and The Eden Warehouse in Southport meanwhile were recognised in the Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year category.
Anthony and Larissa highlighted the strong representation of Southport’s independent businesses, particularly the five independent holiday accommodation providers that showcased the high quality and unique charm of the town’s accommodation offerings.
Sunnyside Bed and Breakfast is no stranger to winning top regional national awards, having also won the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award in 2024 and the B&B / Guest House of the Year Award in 2022 and 2023 at the Liverpool City Region Awards. In 2023 they were also recognised as one of the top three guest houses in the country in the Visit England Awards for excellence.
Last year Sunnyisde became one of just 25 guest houses in the UK to win the coveted Gold Award by the the Review Panel of world-leading sustainability accreditation partner, Green Tourism.
The couple has embedded sustainability into every aspect of its operations. Their initiatives focus on reducing their environmental impact through sustainable food sourcing, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.
Strengthening bonds with local suppliers, Sunnyside Guest House prioritises the use of seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients, offering guests the finest culinary experiences while championing regional producers. They also display the carbon footprint of menu items, and have introduced a plant-based breakfast menu. Food waste is minimised through their participation in the Guardians of Grub programme. They run on 100% renewable electricity and are transitioning from gas heating to solar panels and heat pumps as part of their net-zero by 2030 strategy.
A particularly unique initiative is the owner’s commitment to sustainable beekeeping, which not only supports biodiversity but also strengthens local ecosystems. Anthony prioritises bee welfare over honey production, using natural disease prevention methods and sourcing their colony locally to protect native bee populations. They have also supported unpaid carers through local charity MyTime by providing them with complimentary breaks. Their efforts also extend beyond their own business, Sunnyside plays an active role in mentoring other hospitality providers, through the Liverpool’s Visitor Economy Sustainability Taskforce and Sefton Task Force, Their leadership in sustainability and dedication to ethical tourism made them a standout winner of these prestigious awards.
Larissa Duffey said:
“The tourism awards evening is such a special occasion for us, as we rarely get the chance to go out – especially for an event like this. It truly feels like a treat.
“Last year, I had just given birth to Margot and couldn’t attend, so when Anthony arrived home with the sustainability award, it felt deeply meaningful – almost symbolic of Margot’s arrival and the world we hope to create for her.
“Running the guest house is always demanding, but this year, with Margot to care for, we raised the bar even higher to ensure our standards remained top-notch. It was something we were very keen to achieve, and despite the added challenges, we pushed ourselves to deliver on that commitment.
“Winning the Sustainability Award for the second year in a row has been an incredible affirmation for us. It has shown that we’re moving in the right direction and that our efforts are paying off. This recognition makes everything we do even more meaningful and rewarding.”
Anthony Duffey said:
“It was such a great evening! We were delighted to win our awards, not just for us, but also for Southport as a whole.
“We want to see as many people as possible coming to enjoy visits to Southport this year.
“There is always something happening, always lots to enjoy with big events such as Southport Flower Show, Southport Air Show, the musical fireworks, Southport Comedy Festival and many more.
“We love the Bear Hunt trail provided by Southport BID and Sefton Council that families can enjoy doing in Southport from now until 27th April, it’s been really popular. And we’re excited to see new events such as the Southport Arts Festival and the North West Armed Forces Festival being developed.
“Seeing Southport venues doing so well in both the B&B / Guest House of the Year and the Self-Catering Accommodation categories, with five venues reaching the finals, just shows the high quality of small operators we have here in Southport. Big isn’t always best!
“When you do your research and search out some of the smaller venues, you’ll really feel the benefits of the passion and the attention to detail that owners put in to make visitors’ experiences really memorable.”
At the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards, there were awards for other Southport businesses.
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 while Tik Taco Mexican Cantina was a Finalist in the Restaurant of the Year category.
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