Staffordshire hospitality hotspots celebrated in awards

The Moat House Hotel in Acton Trussell, the Swan Hotel, Stafford, and Colton House, near Rugeley, were among the big winners.

Businesses gathered for the third annual Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism Awards at Drayton Manor theme park on Monday.

Eighteen awards were given out at the 1950s-styled ceremony, designed to help mark Drayton Manor Theme Park's 65th anniversary.

The Moat House, the Swan and the Dog & Doublet Inn, Sandon, between them pulled off four gold and two silver awards for their owner, the Lewis Partnership.

Chris Lewis, managing partner of the Lewis Partnership, said: "It is absolutely fantastic for us. These awards are the highlight of the year for us."

Other stand-out victors included Colton House, which won Guest Accommodation of the Year and Sustainable Tourism Award, which owners Ron and Gay Lawrence have won for three successive years.

The winner of the Taste of Staffordshire Tourism Award went to the Orangery Restaurant at the Moat House, which also won Restaurant of The Year. The Swan Hotel in Stafford was also a double-award winner – receiving gold for Tourism Pub of The Year and Small Hotel of the Year.

In the other accommodation categories, Alton Towers Resort won gold for Large Hotel of the Year, Heywood Hall, Denstone for Self-Catering Holiday Provider of the Year and Oakland Holiday Park, Brewood, for Holiday Park of the Year.

Hosts for the event, Drayton Manor theme park, were also double gold winners, receiving the top accolade in the Access for All Tourism Award category and the Best Tourism Event of the Year award for the launch of its expanded Thomas Land.

Alton Towers Resort collected two golds, for Large Hotel of the Year and for Business Tourism Award. Trentham Monkey Forest picked up the hotly contested 'Large Visitor Attraction of the Year'category.