UK Heritage Awards

We are delighted to announce that we are now taking entries for the U.K. Heritage Awards 2019. Entries are invited across 13 categories highlighting the best of U.K. heritage and hospitality. The closing date for entries is January 31st 2019. 

The categories are:

Best Family Day Out      Great Place To Eat      Wonderful Place to Stay      Must Visit    

Most Improved Heritage Development       Best Event, Festival Or Exhibition       

Hidden Gem       Contribution To Heritage     Shopping Experience   Best Loos   

Wedding Venue      Corporate Experience      Outstanding Customer Experience

Best of Heritage (This category is for the best award entry across all categories as decided by the Judges)

We welcome entries from all venues that are open to the public and can demonstrate that they fit the entry criteria. The criteria and the weighting for each category is shown on the entry form, please read this carefully before submitting your entry. Supporting evidence can also be submitted in the form of images, brochures/pamphlets, visitor reviews, press reports etc.

To enter, please complete an entry form and return it to us at sales@visitheritage.co.uk or by post to us at Visit Heritage, 26 Eldon Business Park, Eldon Road, Chilwell, Nottingham, NG9 6DZ.

Here is a round-up of last year's winners:

BEST FAMILY DAY OUT

WINNER

Alnwick CastleThe Duke of Northumberland's home at Alnwick Castle has a cornucopia of entertainment on offer to family visitors. Well informed guides lead history and film tours. In the Knight's Quest arena, costumed adults help budding knights and princesses dress up in medieval finery or try their hand at traditional crafts, swordplay and medieval games. The most courageous can brave interactive games and animatronics in the new Dragon Quest. At different times, visitors may encounter Potter-inspired characters, falconers, jesters or archers and the broomstick training sessions have a global reputation. And all of this is included in one entry fee.

GREAT PLACES TO EAT

WINNER

Castle Howard

Castle Howard offer a special Afternoon Tea in the gracious surroundings of the Grecian Hall, now available both in summer and at Christmas. It's popular and has given people a different reason to come to Sir John Vanbrugh's baroque masterpiece in Yorkshire. Investment in new equipment is also helping other catering outlets at Castle Howard and the success of 'Castle Howard at Christmas' now sees the crowds expand into a dedicated Christmas café in a cosy marquee.

WONDERFUL PLACES TO STAY

WINNER

The Victoria at Holkham

Less than a mile from the best beach in England, with stunning views overlooking Holkham National Nature Reserve and at the gateway to palladian Holkham Hall, The Victoria Inn has a great location. The link with the Holkham estate is strong, bedrooms are named for shooting drives, antique furnishings have been gleaned from Holkham's attics and basements and original features have been retained. The expansion into the 15th century Ancient House next door in 2015 now gives the Inn twenty bedrooms. The menu features local fish suppliers and estate meat and game and the emphasis is not just on quality but on environmental responsibility with green energy consumption. And a warm welcome for dogs!

SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

WINNER

The Queen's Gallery, London SW1

The shop at the Queen's Gallery needs to cope with a large number of visitors, communicate something about the exceptional collection of works of art in the Royal Collection and maintain an air of prestige for a national and international audience. These ambitions it manages in exemplary style. The shop is sophisticated and well arranged, it is full of bespoke pieces drawn from the collection and there are plenty of items to appeal to children.

BEST EVENT or EXHIBITION

WINNER

The International Autojumble, Beaulieu, Hampshire

The International Autojumble at Beaulieu has run continuously for 50 years. In 1967 Beaulieu, which is home of the National Motor Museum, had the innovative idea of hosting a get-together for enthusiasts from all over the world to buy, sell and swap spare parts, accessories and collectables for motorcars and motorcycles of all ages. It was the very first event of its kind in Europe and has grown to be the largest heritage get-together in Beaulieu's busy year, attracting a staggering 37,000 people over the weekend. Loyal exhibitors love it, look forward to it and often arrange their lives around it.

CONTRIBUTION TO HERITAGE

WINNER

English Heritage & Google Arts & Culture

2017 marked a ground-breaking collaboration between English Heritage and the digital expertise of Google. In all, detailed images of 2000 objects at 29 sites are now online, photographed with ultra high-resolution Gigapixel and Art Camera technology. It was Google's first collaboration with a client over many sites and the largest amount of content generated with a partner on the platform. For us, it has given us free instant access to treasures not normally available to view like Frank Wilkins' 1820 painting of the Battle of Hastings or close ups of the ceiling at Kenwood or a 360^o curator-led tour of Osborne House.

JUDGES' SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Porchester Castle, Hampshire

In 1796, 2000 black and mixed-race men, women and children arrived as prisoners of war at Portchester Castle. They were the garrison of Fort Charlotte on St Lucia and had been fighting against Britain in the French Revolutionary War. English Heritage's new creative installation opened in July 2017, telling their story with objects, models, panels and theatre and highlighting an important moment in Black British history - the struggle for emancipation in the Caribbean in the 18th and 19th centuries. The judges wanted to recognise the exemplary scholarship that illuminated this underappreciated aspect of our history, and the Curator, Abigail Coppins, who did the research.

BEST LOOS

WINNER

Hampton Court Palace

Newly-refurbished toilets at Hampton Court now reflect the history of this Tudor royal palace. Adopting a fun approach, the designers have given visitors a chance to keep learning about Henry and his wives during time spent in the loo. Specially designed graphics reveal Tudor beauty tips and silhouette you in costume in the mirror. Visitors have been commenting enthusiastically and have found something quite unique at the loos at Hampton Court.

BEST HIDDEN GEM

The Charterhouse, London EC1

The Charterhouse today comprises both the surviving buildings of an important Carthusian priory, the Tudor mansion of the Howard family, an almshouse and the former premises of two public schools. The survival of so much of the medieval monastery, the Tudor great house and its continued life as a community is remarkable. This fascinating and important building is now open to visitors for the first time with a new visitor reception, shop, museum and guided tours. That it is metres from Smithfield Market in Central London but still not well enough known makes it a true hidden gem.

BEST WEDDING VENUE

WINNER

Myres Castle

At Myres Castle, Henry and Amanda Barge aim to mix impeccable service and facilities with the relaxed feeling of staying with friends. The castle dates back to the 1530s with outstanding formal gardens and now offers 10 en-suite bedrooms with additional space in the gate lodge. Unique to this venue is the Barnquee, a specially designed hybrid between a barn and marquee, built in the gardens with local larch tree supports. It has a beautiful shingle porch providing seating for up to 160 guests, a rustic bar, wooden floor, amazing loos and the light filters through the canvas roof and the trees above.

Signpost Recognises:

GREAT PLACES TO STAY

Winner: Plantation House Hotel, South Hams

Plantation House is a privately-run restaurant with rooms, effortlessly combining good food, warm service and a sense of attentive informality – all in a glorious South Hams setting. The building is a muchloved listed Georgian rectory that has been carefully restored to blend contemporary touches with traditional styles; the result is discreet comfort, soothing surroundings and a sense of sophistication.

OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Winner: The Old Rectory, Norwich

Guest experience has been central to The Old Rectory’s philosophy for more than 20 years. With a belief in ‘traditional’ hospitality, excellent service from friendly staff and brilliant food, The Old Rectory’s reputation for excellence is well-deserved. Many guests are regular visitors, while many others have been recommended by previous guests

GOURMET DELIGHT

Winner: Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, Lake District

A stay at The Gilpin is all about brilliant service, beautiful décor and the very finest culinary experiences. Six of the bedrooms have private cedarwood hot tubs, and five have their own treatment area, steam room, stone bath, sauna and hydrotherapy hot tub. The Michelin star restaurant Hrishi delivers food with an Asian twist. This award particularly recognises the new restaurant, Gilpin Spice, with an open kitchen serving tapas-style pan-Asian dishes inspire by the spice trail.

MUST VISIT

Winner: Milsom’s Maison Talbooth, Essex

Maison Talbooth is part of the Milsoms Group, which has supported Signpost for many years. Consistently delivering an outstanding experience quality, Maison Talbooth is a Victorian House hotel set overlooking the beautiful Dedham Vale. The hotel offers traditional quality, together with the delicious Talbooth restaurant and a spa for spoiling treatments and a swimming pool.