New names and past winners will be fighting it out for a prestigious tourism “Oscar” at this year’s Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards.
The shortlist of finalists has been announced and includes businesses from Beverley.
Vanessa Delicatessen & Cafe, Beverley Minster House, Beverley Puppet Festival, and also the Beverley Food Festival have all made the shortlist.
They will now go head-to-head in what is being hailed as a spectacular showcase for one of the UK’s booming visitor destinations.
The popularity of Hull and East Yorkshire and the sheer diversity of what the region has to offer are reflected in the 76 businesses and attractions that have made it through to what will be the tenth-anniversary finals of the REYTAs, organised by Visit Hull and East Yorkshire.
“We’ve been staggered at both the quality and the numbers of entrants for this year’s competition, which demonstrates what an amazing experience Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire can offer the visitor and also shows just how far we have come since the first awards were held ten years ago,” said VHEY tourism manager Andy Gray.
In that time the value of tourism to the area has grown from £698 million to £878 million annually and is responsible for an additional 4,000 jobs.
Mr Gray continued: “It’s true to say Hull and East Yorkshire’s visitor economy is booming and we fully expect that to continue. What we’re seeing now is that we’re reaping the rewards of Hull’s year as the City of Culture and the level of investment that is happening in the East Riding.
“It’s refreshing to see the number of new businesses, large and small, that add significantly to and enrich the experience for the visitor. The breadth of the tourism offer we have is quite staggering and the great thing about our awards is that it allows us to recognise the quality on offer.”
In total, 76 businesses and events have been shortlisted in the 13 categories being announced today with a 14th award, the Remarkable East Yorkshire Passion Award, being given on the night to the person considered to have made a significant contribution to tourism in the region.
The winners will be revealed at a glittering awards night being held at Hull’s showpiece Bonus Arena on Thursday, March 14.
Hoping to hang on to their titles are last year’s winners The Toll Cottage, Cottingham, shortlisted again in the bed & breakfast category; Broadgate Farm Cottages, Walkington, in the self-catering category; Burton Constable Hall as visitor attraction; Mercure Grange Park Hotel, Willerby, in the business tourism category; The Head of Steam, Hull as best pub; Patrington Haven Leisure Park in the holiday park category; and the Holiday Inn Hull Marina as best hotel.
But there’s stiff competition all around and some notable first-time finalists, including three in the Remarkable Cuppa category – the aviation-themed Cockpit Cafe in Beverley, the family-run Fiddle Drill tearoom in Goodmanham, near Market Weighton, and the bistro-style cafe Nibble in the heart of Hull’s Fruit Market.
Here, it is up against one of the many new businesses to have transformed Hull’s Humber Street Fruit Market, The Barrow Boys, the bar and restaurant opened last summer by Hull boxer Tommy Coyle and his brothers; as well as the newly refurbished and reopened Fox & Coney pub at South Cave; the newly-restored Beverley Minster House, recently awarded a 5-star grading for self-catering accommodation by Visit England; Hull’s four-star DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and the luxurious Corporation Farm Cottages at Tickton.
* Tickets for the 2019 REYTAs awards dinner are available to book via the VHEY website, www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com/REYTA
