Kings Gardens Tea Room in Southport honoured at Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards 2020

This beautiful cafe in Southport has been honoured as one of the best in Merseyside. 

The Kings Gardens Tea Room was named as one of the finalists in last night’s Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards 2020. 

The award was won by Tusk in Liverpool with runners-up spots being taken by Kings Gardens Tea Rooms, Caffe Cream, Merseyside Maritime Museum Cafe and The Brink. 

Kings Gardens Tea Room is a family-run, vintage tea room with a modern twist. It specialises in afternoon teas, breakfasts, lunches and parties. 

It is set in the beautiful Kings Gardens in Southport, which enjoyed a £6million transformation six years ago and includes the Marine Lake, the Venetian Bridge, Southport Model Railway Village and a crazy golf course.

Southport resident Paddy McNeigh said: “Kings Gardens Tea Room managed, against all the odds, to gain a place last night on the shortlist in the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards 2020.

“This exquisite little Tea Room has been operating for nearly four years now and yet many locals are still unaware of its existence on the Promenade. I wonder why?

“Not for nothing has it been called the jewel in the crown of Southport.

“By staying open during both lockdowns, it has contributed hugely to the local economy.”

In a separate category last night, Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa Hotel won this year’s Hotel Of The Year Award while Bliss Hotel in Southport was one of the runners-up. 

The Stamford Guesthouse on Bath Street in Southport was a finalist in the B&B and Guest House of the Year Award, a category that was won by Mere Brook House in Wirral. 

Southport Hoteliers Association (SHA) spokesperson Anthony Duffey said: “It is fantastic news to see SHA members being nominated for top awards yet again.

“It has been a difficult year for the town’s accommodation providers but we have all been working hard to improve our offering.

“It is good that this has been recognised by the Liverpool City Region.”

The first ever virtual Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards was live streamed and was hosted by Jay Hynd from The Guide Liverpool. 

The awards recognise how difficult this period has been for the sector but celebrates the many assets and diverse nature of tourism across the Liverpool city region.

The evening covered 17 award categories across the whole industry from Tourism Experience of the Year to Pub of the Year. Other categories include Tourism Star of the Year and an award for Outstanding Contribution.

Organised by Growth Platform and supported by the Visitor Economy Board, this year’s new headline sponsor was National Museums Liverpool, with MSP Global providing all the technical support. Other sponsors included Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Hotel Indigo, Merseyrail, Expedia, Marketing Liverpool, Ticket Quarter and Wirral Chamber. Hospitality in Action is this year’s charity partner.

Peter Sandman, Head of Visitor Economy for Growth Platform – Liverpool City Region Growth Company, said: “For 2020 especially, it is vital that we acknowledge and congratulate not just the winners but the sector right across the region.

“During this unprecedented time we need to show support, solidarity and strength – and these awards are the perfect platform to come together and celebrate as a tourism community.”

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