Top attractions battle for prizes
The cream of the Black Country's hotel and leisure attractions will be recognised tonight at a glittering ceremony attended by more than 300 people.
Awards will be presented to the best people, places and products during the event at the Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill.
There are 19 categories, including top large visitor attraction and vying for a gong are the Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Zoo, Sandwell Valley Country Park and Wolverhampton Civic Halls.
It will be a nail-biting moment before the winner of best festival or event of the year is announced.
Host for the evening will be Ruth Badger, runner up in the hit TV series The Apprentice. Better known as 'The Badger' the Wolverhampton-born business boffin said she was delighted to be honouring the area's tourism.
More than 85 entries were received for the second awards ceremony. Other categories include best small visitor attraction, with the Red House Glass Cone in Wordsley in the running. Some of the Black Country's greatest gourmet chefs will also be feasting their eye on one of the coveted awards.
On the shortlist for the awards are:
Large Hotel of the Year: Copthorne Hotel, Merry Hill; Holiday Inn, M6 J7; Novotel Wolverhampton.
Small Hotel of the Year: Patshull Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club.
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year: Black Country Living Museum; Dudley Zoological Gardens; Sandwell Valley Country Park; Wolverhampton Civic Halls.
Small Visitor Attraction of the Year: Red House Glass Cone; The Locksmiths House; The Little Civic; Wightwick Manor.
Outstanding Customer Service: Andrea Hicklin, Oak House Museum; David Riley, Dudley Zoological Gardens; Thelma Woodfield, Wednesbury Museum.
Business Tourism of the Year: Molineux Conference & Banqueting Centre; The Crossing @ St Paul's.
Housekeeper of the Year: Hannah Parkes, Copthorne Hotel, Merry Hill; Lucy Walker, Village Hotel & Leisure Club, Walsall; Mable Robertson-Williams, Patshull Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club.
Chef of the Year: Gary Espinosa, Village Hotel & Leisure Club, Walsall; Sudharsan Venkatachalam Murgavel, Novotel, Wolverhampton; Matthew Lambert, Copthorne Hotel, Merry Hill; Dave Sherwood, Holiday Inn M6 J7.
Restaurant Service of the Year: Jenny Box, The Fairlawns at Aldridge; Chadwyn Brodie, Copthorne Hotel, Merry Hill; Maria Soledad Venero, Novotel, Wolverhampton.
Tomorrow's Manager of the Year: Caroline Rea, The Fairlawns at Aldridge; Emma Sharp, Village Hotel & Leisure Club, Walsall; Harinder Sunny Sagoo, Copthorne Hotel, Merry Hill.
Tourism Website of the Year: Sandwell Council Cultural Services; Sandwell Valley Country Park; Wolverhampton Civic Halls
Festival or Event of the Year: Dudley Rock & Fossil Festival; Flip Animation Festival; International Festival of Glass
