Mother Shipton's Cave in Knaresborough wins Small Visitor Attraction of the Year at Visit York Tourism Awards

The awards, often referred to as the ‘Tourism Oscars of the North’, took place at York Racecourse on Thursday (March 23) where a total of sixteen trophies were presented, celebrating the best of York’s businesses across tourism, hospitality and culture.

This year, finalists in the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year category included York Army Museum and The World of James Herriot, but following a rigorous judging and mystery shopper process, Mother Shipton’s emerged triumphant yet again.

Fiona Martin, owner of Mother Shipton’s Cave, said: “We are overjoyed to have won this prestigious award for the second year in a row.

"It means so much for our team to be recognised for the ongoing efforts we’ve made to provide visitors with a unique and magical experience.

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"As a team, we all feel a deep connection to the history of the attraction and it is a privilege to keep the story of Mother Shipton alive, whilst preserving the phenomenal Petrifying Well for future generations to enjoy.

“This year we continued to build upon our family-friendly events to ensure there was always something new and exciting for visitors to experience.

"We are very grateful for the wonderful feedback we’ve received from both visitors and mystery shoppers and hope that our 2023 events will be the best yet.”

As a winner of the award, Mother Shipton’s Cave will now automatically be put forward for the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023.

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