TOURISM AWARDS SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

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 short-listed finalists, announced today, 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 is 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 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 round 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.

The Cockpit Cafe, opened by Lucie Mountain, enjoys a second nomination in the final of the newcomers category, which was open to any business set up between January 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018. 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

REMARKABLE EAST YORKSHIRE TOURISM AWARDS FINALISTS 2019

Remarkable Bed & Breakfast

Wolds Village, Bainton

The Toll Cottage, Cottingham

The Fox & Coney Inn, South Cave

Village Farm Bed & Breakfast, Skipsea

Newbegin House, Beverley

Remarkable Business Tourism Award

Mercure Grange Park Hotel, Willerby

Hallmark Hotel, North Ferriby

DoubleTree by Hilton, Hull

Beyond Events, University of Hull

Tigers Events at the KCom Stadium, Hull

Bishop Burton College, Bishop Burton

Remarkable Cuppa

Nibble@The Dock, Hull

The Cockpit Cafe, Beverley

Vanessa Delicatessen & Cafe, Beverley

Drewton’s Farm Shop & Restaurant, South Cave

The Fiddle Drill, Goodmanham

Millers, Raywell

Remarkable Food Experience

Trinity Market, Hull

The Yorkshire Wolds Cookery School, Southburn, near Driffield

Little Wold Vineyard, South Cave

Cherry View Milk, Cherry Burton

Beverley Food Festivals, Beverley

Hotham’s Gin School & Distillery, Hull

Remarkable Holiday Park/Holiday Village

Thorpe Hall Caravan & Camping Site, Rudston

Manor Farm Camping, Beverley

Bridge Leisure - Sand le Mere Holiday Park, Tunstall

Patrington Haven Leisure Park, Patrington

Butt Farm Caravan and Camping, Beverley

Remarkable Hotel

Mercure Grange Park Hotel, Willerby

Cave Castle Hotel & Country Club, South Cave

Hallmark Hotel, North Ferriby

DoubleTree by Hilton, Hull

Holiday Inn Hull Marina, Hull

Remarkable Newcomer

The Cockpit Cafe, Beverley

DoubleTree by Hilton, Hull

The Fox & Coney Inn, South Cave

Beverley Minster House, Beverley

Corporation Farm Cottages, Tickton

The Barrow Boys, Hull

Remarkable Pub

The Head of Steam, Hull

The Ship Inn, Sewerby

The Lion and Key, Hull

Wrygarth Inn, Great Hatfield

The Black Horse, Little Weighton

The Tiger Inn, Beverley

Remarkable Restaurant

Humber Fish Co., Hull

Tapasya@Marina, Hull

The Old House, Hull

1884 Wine & Tapas Bar, Hull

Remarkable Self-Catering Provider/Property

Rose Cottage, Huggate

Field House Farm Cottages, Sewerby

High Barn Cottages, Bempton

The Hideout, Hull

Broadgate Farm Cottages, Walkington

Little Otchan Shepherd Hut, Halsham

Kingfisher Lakes Glamping, Brandesburton

Remarkable Taste of East Yorkshire

Drewton’s Farm Shop & Restaurant, South Cave

Atom Brewing Co., Hull

Vanessa Delicatessen & Cafe, Beverley

Soanes Poultry, Middleton on the Wolds

Laurel Vines Vineyard and Winery Limited, Aike

Humber Street Distillery Co., Hull

Remarkable Tourism Event

Beverley Puppet Festival, Beverley

Tribfest Music Festival, Sledmere

Pride in Hull, Hull

Urban Legends: Northern Lights, Hull

Humber Street Sesh, Hull

British Chess Championships, Hull

Beverley Food Festival, Beverley

Remarkable Visitor Attraction/Experience

William’s Den, North Cave

Sledmere House, Sledmere

Burton Constable Hall & Grounds

Hull Truck Theatre

RSPB Bempton Cliffs

Hull Minster

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust - Spurn