Harrogate district hotels and attractions amongst Welcome to Yorkshire White Rose Awards winners

Over a thousand people tuned into Welcome to Yorkshire’s virtual White Rose Awards on Monday evening to celebrate the county’s tourism industry, where a number of Harrogate hotels and attractions were celebrated.
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The social event was a big hit online with 624,139 social media impressions and 11,896 social engagements for the night.

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Welcome to Yorkshire’s Chief Executive James Mason said: “These are incredibly impressive White Rose Awards figures and it goes to show the importance of celebrating and showcasing Yorkshire tourism to a wide audience, to not only inspire all and encourage support of local businesses in tricky times, but to also ensure that Yorkshire is at the forefront of everyone’s minds to visit, live, work, study … and enjoy, in accordance with Government guidelines.

Presenters Natalie Anderson and Rich Williams. Picture: Welcome to Yorkshire.Presenters Natalie Anderson and Rich Williams. Picture: Welcome to Yorkshire.
Presenters Natalie Anderson and Rich Williams. Picture: Welcome to Yorkshire.

"The exceptional evening brought the county together and I’m incredibly proud of the Welcome to Yorkshire team who brilliantly organised the event whilst facing challenging Covid-19 circumstances, praise indeed also to the exceptional Yorkshire businesses who entered and to all the winners, the event sponsors, the wonderful celebrity guests and to everyone who joined in the celebrations online.

"The positivity and sheer determination to continue doing what Yorkshire does best is an absolute inspiration and an incredible incentive to all to keep calm, carry on and make 2021 a huge success for the county and all tourism businesses.”

A number of Harrogate attractions, accommodation providers and businesses were crowned during the ceremony.

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Grantley Hall in Ripon won gold at the 'Large Hotel of the Year' category, with Harrogate's The Yorkshire Hotel bagging silver. Grantley Hall also won the 'New Tourism Business' award.

It was good news for the district in the 'Small Visitor Attraction of the Year' category, with Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough securing silver and Studfold Adventure Trail in Lofthouse receiving bronze.

The annual White Rose Awards are the biggest celebration of tourism in the UK and take place each year at a huge Yorkshire event location, with 2019’s awards being held at the First Direct Arena Leeds.

However, due to the coronavirus crisis and lockdown, the 2020 awards ceremony, sponsored by York City Knights, was held virtually for the first time ever.

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York City Knights Chairman Jon Flatman said: “It’s always a great pleasure to work with the team at Welcome to Yorkshire and it was an honour for York City Knights to sponsor the prestigious White Rose Awards. The county has so much to offer and during such a tough year for all, it was amazing to celebrate so many success stories with some top tourism businesses. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of exciting entertainment and inspiring examples of business brilliance, and great to see the social media interaction throughout too.”

Online special celebrity guests included Yorkshire legend Chris Kamara and Hollyoaks actress and singer Bethannie Hare, both appeared on screen with White Rose Award messages and shared performances of their latest song releases.

Calderdale comedians Pete Emmett and Lea Roberts provided the laughter as they performed outdoors at the spectacular The Piece Hall in Halifax and there were some fabulous congratulatory messages on the night from Yorkshire Shepherdess and star of Our Yorkshire Farm Amanda Owen, All Creatures Great and Small actor Nicholas Ralph, Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft and writer and TV personality Dr Amir Khan.

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Returning for another year to host the White Rose Awards, it was a pleasure to welcome back Yorkshire’s very own Natalie Anderson and Rich Williams who presented gold, silver and bronze awards in 17 categories to top Yorkshire businesses and organisations in the tourism and hospitality sector, recognising the very best accommodation, attractions, food and drink, produce, arts and culture.

White Rose Awards Chair of Judges Elaine Lemm added: “What fun it was to spend the evening celebrating the best of Yorkshire tourism and hospitality from my sitting room. It may have been a bit different to how we normally celebrate, but even remotely, the enthusiasm and joy of the winners on their zoom calls was so wonderful to be a part of and well-done Welcome to Yorkshire for making it happen.”

If you missed the White Rose Awards live or want to enjoy the experience again. Watch at: https://wra.yorkshire.com/

Full list of winners:

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

GOLD Cottage in the Dales, Leyburn

SILVER JORVIK Viking Centre

BRONZE Leeds Playhouse

Arts & Culture Award

GOLD The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough

SILVER Harewood House Trust

BRONZE Selby District Council (Selby 950)

B&B and Guest House of the Year

GOLD Brickfields Farm, Kirkbymoorside

SILVER Orchard Lodge, Scarborough

BRONZE Cawthorne House, Pickering

Business Events Venue of the Year

GOLD The Grand, York

SILVER Lakeside Conference Centre (part of York Biotech Campus)

BRONZE Mercure Barnsley Tankersley Manor

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

GOLD High Oaks Grange, Pickering

SILVER Brompton Lakes, Richmond

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BRONZE Catgill Farm - Camping and Luxury Glamping, Bolton Abbey

Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award

GOLD National Centre for Birds of Prey, Helmsley

SILVER The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa

BRONZE Rendezvous Hotel, Skipton

Experience of the Year

GOLD Hotham's Gin School and Distillery

SILVER Leeds Cookery School

BRONZE The Bloody Tour of York

Large Hotel of the Year

GOLD Grantley Hall, Ripon

SILVER The Yorkshire Hotel

BRONZE The Grand, York

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

GOLD Harewood House Trust

SILVER Wensleydale Creamery

BRONZE Cannon Hall Farm, Barnsley

New Tourism Business Award

GOLD Grantley Hall, Ripon

SILVER Waleswood Caravan and Camping Park at Rother Valley Country Park

BRONZE The Private Hill, Acklam

Producers and Makers Award

GOLD Rounton Coffee Roasters, Northallerton

SILVER Bullion Chocolate, Sheffield

BRONZE The Candied Peel Cake Co, Leeds

Pub of the Year

GOLD The Drovers Arms Restaurant & Country Pub, Skipwith

SILVER The Millers Bar, Brighouse

BRONZE The Clarendon Country pub with rooms, Hebden

Self-catering Accommodation of the Year

GOLD Grand Get-Togethers, Malton

SILVER High Oaks Grange, Pickering

BRONZE Holly House Farm, Hudswell

Small Hotel of the Year

GOLD Grays Court Hotel in York

SILVER Galtres Lodge Hotel, York

BRONZE The Devonshire Fell, Burnsall

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

GOLD Bradford Cathedral

SILVER Mother Shipton's, Knaresborough

BRONZE Studfold Adventure Trail, Lofthouse

Taste of England – Casual Dining Award

GOLD The Rattle Owl, York

SILVER Wensleydale Creamery

BRONZE Forest, York

Tourism Event Award

GOLD Hallowscream at York Maze

SILVER Wakefield Rhubarb Festival

BRONZE Banana Kick & LeedsBID – The Leeds Jurassic Trail