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Museums And Heritage Sites Scoop Top Awards At Visit Britain 'Tourism Oscars'
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
19/04/2007
Image: a photograph of the bow of a large ship
Ss Great Britain is already Gulbenkian Museum of the Year 2006 now it is a 'Large Visitor Attraction of the Year' for 2007. © ss Great Britain
Two of Britain’s Museums and a stately home have scooped awards for ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year’ at the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2007.
Organised by VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, the annual ‘Tourism Oscars’ ceremony took place on April 18 2007 to recognise the best of England's tourism at Banqueting House in London. They were hosted by broadcaster and writer Sandi Toksvig.
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, (where the Harry Potter films were set) and Brunel's ss Great Britain in Bristol were joint winners of the gold award with Imperial War Museum North picking up a silver award.
Image: a photograph of stately home taken from across a lake
Alnwick, not only the setting for Harry Potter films but also a top visitor attraction.
England Marketing Advisory Board (EMAB) Chairman Hugh Taylor said: "All of the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence recognise the quality and diversity of our nation's tourism product, from its wonderful hotels and caravan parks to its unique visitor attractions and inspirational information services.”
“Congratulations to every winner for their amazing personal achievement and for their contribution in encouraging people to holiday in England."
The three large museum venues had already fought off stiff competition against attractions such as the National Portrait Gallery, Cadbury World and Ascot Racecourse, to make the final shortlist.
Flying the flag for small museums was the RAF Air Defence Radar Museum in Norfolk, which won a small visitor attraction of the Year Award.
Image: a photgraph of alarge modern building with an anvil like shape next to a stretch of water
Imperial War Museum North is now a silver 'Tourism-Oscar' winner. © IWMN
Silver awards in this category went to National Trust property Mr Straw’s House – a preserved semi-detached house in Worksop, The Fan Museum in Greenwich and Ripley Castle near Harrogate North Yorkshire.
The finalists were selected by a board of tourism industry judges including Nick Cust, Board Member of the England Marketing Advisory Board, and travel journalist Alison Rice.
Several categories are considered – from B&Bs to tourist information centres and museums again featured in the Outstanding Customer Service Award section, which was won by Graham Worton, keeper of geology at the Dudley Museum & Art Gallery. Further silver awards in this section went to staff at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and the Beacon Museum in Whitehaven, Cumbria.
Timed to coincide with St George’s Day, the Awards are designed to celebrate the people behind the cream of English tourism – B&B owners, hoteliers, self-catering properties, visitor attractions, caravan parks, business venues, Tourist Information Centres and other tourism businesses that are the very best in England.
Image: a photograph of a museum mannequin next to a large map table
The largely volunteer-run Radar Museum at Neatishead features a recreation of a wartime operations room. © RAF Air Defence Radar Museum
The national award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism was won by Sir Paul McCartney and the City of Liverpool. The former Beatle and regenerated northern city were recognised for the overall award, as the city has seen visitor numbers more than double in the last five years and the Beatles remain a huge draw for many visitors.
Sir Paul McCartney commented: “I’m honoured to receive this award, particularly because of the Liverpool connection. It’s great to think that in some small way I’ve done something to help tourism for the place of my birth, which I’m so proud of.”
Imperial War Museum North
Imperial War Museum North, The Quays, Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1TZ, England
Open: Open every day, 10.00 - 18.00
(November - February 10.00 - 17.00)
Closed: Closed December 24-26
Brunel's ss Great Britain, Bristol
Great Western Dock, Gas Ferry Road, Bristol, BS1 6TY, England
Open: The ship is open every day except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
10am to 6.00pm, April - October (Last entry 5.00pm)
10am to 4.30pm, November - March (Last entry 3.30pm)
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, NE66 1NQ, Northumberland, England
Open: Open daily 23 March to 26 October 2005
11.00 am to 5.00 pm
(Last admission 4.15pm)
Grounds open 10.00 am
Royal Air Force Air Defence Radar Museum (RAFADRM)
Royal Air Force Neatishead, Norwich, NR12 8YB, Norfolk, England
Open: Second Saturday each month 1000-1600
Bank Holiday Mondays 1000-1600
Every Tuesday & Thursday from Apr-Oct (inc) 1000-1700
Last Admission (for Guided Tour) 1500
Mr Straw's House, Worksop (National Trust)
7 Blyth Grove, Worksop, S81 0JG, Nottinghamshire, England
Open: 25 Mar–28 Oct 2006: 11–4:30, Tues-Sat
Admission by timed ticket only for all visitors (inc. NT members), which must be booked in advance. All bookings by tel. or letter (with s.a.e.) to Custodian. On quiet days a same-day tel. call is often sufficient. Closed Good Fri. Due to its location in residential area, property is closed on BHols as a courtesy to neighbours. Last admission 30mins before closing.
Fan Museum
12 Grooms Hill, Greenwich, London, SE10 8ER, England
Open: Tues-Sat 1100-1700
Sun 1200-1700
Closed Mon
Times may vary during school holidays
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF, England
T: 020 8858 4422
Open: Daily, 10.00-17.00
Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.
From 3 May–31 August 2008, the Royal Observatory courtyard will remain open until 8pm.
Closed: All three sites close early on 31 December and open late on 1 January and on the occasion of the London Marathon each year.
The Beacon, Whitehaven
West Strand, Whitehaven, CA28 7LY, Cumbria, England
Open: Open Tuesday-Sunday and school holiday Mondays, all year, 10am-4pm.
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