Art School and Shiverpool triumph in national tourism awards

PAUL Askew’s award winning restaurant, The Art School, is the toast of the nation today after scooping a top tourism prize.

It won the Taste of England Award from the country’s official tourism agency, Visit England, in its annual Awards for Excellence.

And there was an extra helping for Liverpool, with Shiverpool picking up the gong as the country’s top Guided Tour of the Year.

Chef Patron Askew and the team from Shiverpool celebrated their victories at a glittering ceremony, hosted by Sue Perkins, at the Hilton Waldorf, in London, where 67 finalists selected from almost 600 applications gathered - the highest number of entries ever received.

Shiverpool, takes walkers on a theatrical, historic tour of Liverpool, exploring the city’s folklore myth and legend.

The double whammy is a boost for the city’s Hope Street Quarter, where Askew feeds fine food to diners in Sugnall Street and Shiverpool  does its best to spook its audience on their night time strolls.

“So we only went and did it, we can’t quite believe it,” the Art School people tweeted.

“Amazing accolade for Porkyaskew, well deserved recognition for his great food and his fantastic food,” tweeted Gary Maddock.

The victory comes as Askew prepares to expand the Art School with a Wine Cellar bar in the premises next door which were recently vacated by Kabinett on Myrtle Street.

Shiverpool tweeted a photo of its team celebrating with Paul Askew.

Meanwhile, over on Deeside, Chester Zoo won scooped the prize for Family Friendly Food & Drink Business of the Year and Michelin chef Nigel Haworth’s Northcote Manor, near Blackburn, took one of the major awards, the Hotel of the Year accolade.

The prestigious  Awards for Excellence now in their 28th year, celebrate those businesses and individuals who continuously raise the bar of England’s tourism “offer”. 

The 25 award winners, from Afternoon Tea of the Year to Sustainable Tourism Award, Tourism Pub of the Year to Business Tourism Award, span the length and breadth of the country from Yorkshire to Devon, Warwickshire to Northumberland.

The Premier League was singled out for the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award due to English football’s draw for domestic and international visitors. More than 800,000 overseas visitors attended a football match during their trip to Britain in 2014, spending £684 million.

VisitEngland Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said: “This year’s awards were fiercely contested and we had some terrific applications, showcasing not only the excellence on offer within English tourism but also the outstanding innovation and the sheer diversity of experiences throughout the country.

“From afternoon tea in a railway carriage to ‘Alice in Wonderland’ boutique hotel rooms, from great family friendly animal attractions to cottages for one, all well deserved the recognition of their quality and service.”

The tourism economy is worth £106 billion annually to England.