Green tourism shortlist unveiled

Up for best pub award Glenuig Inn

Finalists revealed for Green Tourism Goldstar Awards

Sixty of the UK’s most environmentally sustainable businesses have been shortlisted for one of the country’s most coveted awards – a Green Tourism Goldstar.

Accommodation providers, visitor attractions and events venues across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been included in this year’s Goldstar shortlist which has been whittled down from more than 2,400 eligible entries.

All of the contenders are vying for the top accolade in 13 categories, the winners of which will be announced at the Green Tourism Annual conference on November 10 at a special ceremony held in the Palace Hotel, Manchester.

Now in its fourth year, the annual awards honour those businesses and organisations that have done the most to promote sustainability within the tourism industry by implementing cost-saving practices that help the environment, improve customer services and benefit their bottom line.

All of the finalists, which include 36 from England, 22 from Scotland, one from Wales and one from Northern Ireland, were chosen from over 2400 green tourism companies assessed for their innovation, cost savings and green ambassadorship.

Andrea Nicholas, Director of Green Tourism, said: "The Goldstar Awards are a recognition of the best of the best in Britain when it comes to creating and maintaining a thriving sustainable tourism industry.

"The standard has been exceptionally high this year and every one of the shortlisted finalists have shown a dedicated commitment to providing consumers with great service and value for money while at the same time championing the cause of sustainability."

Green Tourism is the biggest of its kind in the world having helped nearly 10,000 businesses improve their commitment to sustainability. It is considered one of the most rigorous of its kind and is the only certification programme independently validated by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) on behalf of VisitEngland, VisitWales and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, and endorsed by VisitScotland and Failte Ireland.

The nominations for each category are:

Best Activity Centre / Provider

• Blancathra Field Studies centre, Kewswick, Cumbria
• Newlands Adventure Centre, Keswick, Cumbria
• Surf South West, Croyde, Devon

Best B&B / Guest House

• Bedknobs B&B, Bodmin, Cornwall
• Bryn Bella Guest House, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy
• Cote How Guest House, Ambleside, Cumbria
• Pendragon Country House, Camelford, Cornwall
• The Rumblie, Newtonmore, Inverness-shire

Best Campus Accommodation

• Celedonian Court, Glasgow, Strathclyde
• McIntosh Hall, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife
• Storm Jameson Court – East & West, Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Best Conference / Events Venue

• CREATE Environment Centre, Bristol, Avon
• IET Glasgow: Teacher Building, Glasgow, Strathclyde
• Perth Concert Hall, Perth, Perthshire
• Royal Armouries International PLC, Leeds, West Yorkshire
• The Wellbeing Farm, Bolton, Lancashire

Best Holiday Park / Camping site

• Cobleland Caravan & Camping site, Aberfoyle, Stirlingshire
• Dolbeare Park, Saltash, Cornwall
• Jollydays Glamping, York, North Yorkshire

Best Hostel

• Iona Hostel, Lagandorain, isle of Iona
• Lochranza Youth Hostel, Lochranza, isle of arran
• New Ing Lodge, Shap, Cumbria

Best Hotel

• Agnes Blackadder Hall, St. Andrews, Fife
• Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, Newquay, Cornwall
• Captains Club Hotel, Christchurch, Dorset
• Chewton Glen Hotel, New Milton, Hampshire
• City Hotel, Derry, Londonderry
• Jurys Inn Brighton, Brighton, East Sussex
• Jurys Inn, Newcastle
• Lancaster London, London,
• Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, London
• The Beardmore Conference Hotel, Glasgow, Strathclyde
• The Cheltenham Chase Hotel – QHotels, Gloucester, Gloucestershire
• The Green House Hotel, Bournemouth, Dorset
• The Scarlet Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall

Best Inn / Pub

• Glenuig Inn Ltd, Sound of Arisaig, Inverness-shire
• Stein Inn, Waternish, Isle of Skye
• The Miners Arms, Alston, Cumbria

Best Museum

• Horniman Museum & Gardens, London
• Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Telford, Shropshire

Best Nature Reserve

• Forvie NNR Visitor Centre, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
• RSPB Loch leven, Kinross, Perthshire
• WWT Welney, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire

Best Self-Catering

• Cranmer Country Cottages, Fakenham, Norfolk
• David Russell Apartments, St. Andrews, Fife
• Higher Wiscombe Ltd, Colyton, Devon
• Hoe Grange Holidays, Matlock, Derbyshire
• Little White Alice Ltd, Carmenellis, Cornwall
• Merlin Farm Eco Cottages, Newquay, Cornwall
• The Hytte, Hexham, Northumberland
• The Peedie House, South Ronaldsay, Orkney
• Wheatland Farm, Winkleigh, Devon

Best Tour Operator

• C-N-DO Scotland Ltd, Stirling, Stirlingshire
• Sea Life Surveys, Tobermory, Isle of Mull
• Wind & Cloud Travel Ltd, South Queensferry, West Lothian

Best Visitor Attractions

• Inchmahome Priory, Stirling, Stirlingshire
• John Muir’s Birthplace, Dunbar, East Lothian
• Sealife Glass Bottom Boat, Gairloch, Ross-shire
• South West Lakes Trust, Upper Tamar, Nr Bude, Cornwall
• Ullswater Steamers, Glenridding, Cumbria

Valere Tjolle @ValereTjolle [email protected]

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