Northumberland scoops EIGHT golds at North East England Tourism Awards as Robson Green receives special honour

The county picked up eight golds at the annual North East England Tourism Awards last night.

Winners from Northumberland were:

B&B and Guest House of the Year - Market Cross Guest House, Belford

Business Events Venue of the Year - The Sill, National Landscape Discovery Centre

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year - Bamburgh Castle

New Tourism Business Award - Hillside Huts & Cabins, Earsdon

Pub of the Year - The Apple Inn, Lucker

Resilience and Innovation Award - Langley Castle Hotel, Hexham

Self-Catering Provider of the Year - Kidlandlee Holiday Cottages, Harbottle

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year - Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours, Seahouses

TV presenter and actor Robson Green also picked up a special outstanding contribution to North East Tourism accolade.

The special award was introduced this year to mark the 20th anniversary of the awards and will honour an individual, organisation or business who has made a fundamental contribution to the success of the region's tourism industry.

Robson received the award in praise of his efforts to champion the region through his programmes, including his most recent, Weekend Escapes, which showcase the North East's tourism offer nationally and internationally.

He said: "It's an absolute privilege and honour to receive this award and I feel incredibly humbled and to be honest incredibly surprised.

"It really is a recognition of the talent I've been fortunate enough to have worked alongside, the majority of whom are from the North East of England.

"All I've done during my career is help to tell stories some of which showcase an area I'm really proud to call home.”

Several of the regional winners will now go on to represent the region at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

Sarah Green, chief executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) who deliver the awards, said: "We've doubled the visitor economy in the North East over the past 20 years but have set ourselves an ambitious target to double it again in the next ten years.

"The North East being announced as the pilot area for the new structure of national tourism bodies and the visitor economy being referenced in the North East Devolution deal demonstrates the level of support for the North East tourism sector.

"Our aim is to ensure this sector creates more jobs, supports people at all levels to develop skills, embraces net zero sustainability and provides greater experiences for all being recognised as an exemplar for accessibility and inclusivity. To do this we need to continue to work with the private sector to enable further investment."

Tourism businesses also donated prizes to a raffle to raise money for the charity, NE Youth, which aims to make a positive difference to the lives of young people in the region.

Full List of Winners:

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

GOLD: Life Science Centre

SILVER: Sage Gateshead

BRONZE: Sunderland Empire

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre

B&B and Guest House of the Year

GOLD: Market Cross Guest House

SILVER: The Bosk

BRONZE: Tynemouth 61 Guesthouse & Tea Room

Business Events Venue of the Year

GOLD: The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre

SILVER: The Common Room

BRONZE: Venues at Northumbria

Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year

GOLD: Teesdale Cheesemakers

SILVER: Hillside Huts & Cabins

BRONZE: Hesleyside Huts

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Herding Hill Farm

Ethical, Response and Sustainable Tourism

GOLD: Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Destination

SILVER: Kidlandlee

BRONZE: Laverock Law Cottages

Experience of the Year

GOLD: The Escape Key

SILVER: Valhalla Axe Throwing

BRONZE: Falconry Days

HIGHLY COMMENDED: La Chocolatrice

Large Hotel of the Year

GOLD: Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa

SILVER: Doxford Hall Hotel & Aqueous Spa

BRONZE: Newton Hall & Cabin Walk

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

GOLD: Bamburgh Castle

SILVER: Beamish: The Living Museum of the North

BRONZE: Whitehouse Farm

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Alnwick Garden

New Tourism Business Award

GOLD: Hillside Huts & Cabins

SILVER: The Greenhead Hotel

BRONZE: Overland Adventures

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Schoolhouse Fenwick

Pub of the Year

GOLD: The Apple Inn, Lucker

SILVER: The Greenhead Hotel

BRONZE: The Joiners Arms

Resilience and Innovation Award

GOLD: Langley Castle Hotel

SILVER: The Escape Key

BRONZE: Valhalla Axe Throwing

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Common Room

Self-Catering Accommodation Provider of the Year

GOLD: Kidlandlee

SILVER: Till Fishing Holidays

BRONZE: Vindomora Country Lodges

JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED: Breamish Valley Cottages & Mains Cottages/Shepherd's Retreats

Small Hotel of the Year

GOLD: Seaham Hall Hotel

SILVER: The Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland

BROZE: The Lord Crewe, Bamburgh

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Langley Castle

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

GOLD: Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours

SILVER: Tees Barrage International White Water Centre & Air Trail

BRONZE: Newham Grange Farm

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Stephenson Steam Railway

Taste of North East England

GOLD - Teesdale Cheesemakers Ltd

SILVER - Seaham Hall Hotel

BRONZE - Dobson & Parnell

Unsung Hero Award

GOLD - Mohamed Kamal, Spanish City

SILVER - Caroline May, Seaham Hall Hotel

BRONZE - Nick Rodgers, Project Escape

JOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED - Samantha Brown, The County Restaurant and Sally Razack, Crowne Plaza Newcastle