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Archive for category Exhibitions

Time to visit England as awards for excellence 2010 announced

Apr 27

Posted by elisa in Events, Exhibitions, Food and Drink, Fun, Last minute breaks, News, Tourist Board | No Comments

As flight costs abroad are set to soar in order to claw back the billions of pounds lost in the ash cloud fiasco (see Villaseek Blog for full story), it’s nice to know that there are some wonderful places to visit here as the cream of English tourism was marked by the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2010 in Brighton on St George’s Day.

A total of 46 gold and silver winners were selected from more than 100 regional winners submitted by the nine regions in England. These were assessed by independent assessors and a team of judges to make it through to the national final.

The National Trust won the VisitEngland’s Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award for its role as the bastion of some of England’s most beautiful and outstanding attractions.

VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford said: “The fantastic diversity and quality of tourism product across the length and breadth of England means we can compete confidently on the international stage, making this country a must visit destination for Brits and overseas visitors.”

Brian Richardson, executive secretary of The Caravan Club, headline sponsor of the awards, said: “We know these award winners will be beacons of inspiration for many other tourism companies to follow.”

The gold winners were:

Access for All Tourism Award – imago at Burleigh Court, Loughborough, Leicestershire (East Midlands)

Bed and Breakfast/Guest Accommodation – The Old School, Alnwick, Northumberland (North East)

Best Tourism Experience – Livingstone Lodge Overnight Safari, near Hythe, Kent (South East)

Business Tourism Award – ExCeL London (London)

Caravan Holiday Park – Trethem Mill Touring Park, Truro, Cornwall (South West)

Large Hotel (Over 35 bedrooms) – Thurlestone Hotel, Kingsbridge, Devon (South West)

Large Visitor Attraction (Over 100,000 visitors) – RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey (South East)

Outstanding Customer Service – Christina Dixon, Jurys Inn Hotel, Liverpool (North West)

Self Catering Holiday of the Year – Blakelow Farm Holiday Cottages, Winster, Derbyshire (East Midlands)

Small Hotel of the Year (Under 50 Bedrooms) – Gilpin Lodge Country House, Windermere, The Lake District (North West)

Small Visitor Attraction (Under 50,000) – Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham (The Heart of England)

Sustainable Tourism Award – Crown Spa Hotel, Scarborough (Yorkshire)

Taste of England Award – The Bildeston Crown, Bildeston, Suffolk (East of England)

Tourism Event – Blackpool Illuminations, Blackpool (North West)

Tourist Information Service – Nottingham Tourism Centre, Nottingham (East Midlands)

Also voted for were the quirkiest events in England, a selection of those that are coming soon are below:

Worcestershire Asparagus Festival – between April 23 – May 31 in Evesham, Worcestershire

World Egg Throwing Championships – 27 June at Swaton Vintage Day near Sleaford in Lincolnshire

Annual World Nettle Eating Contest – 12 June in Marshwood in Dorset

Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair this weekend

Oct 23

Posted by elisa in Events, Exhibitions, North West | No Comments

I’ve just been to the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in Manchester; which will also be on throughout this weekend. It’s based in a temporary building in the heart of  Manchester’s Spinningfields district, which at first was a little difficult to find because I didn’t go far enough into Spinningfields at first, so if you do go, look for the sign towards Hardman Street and keep following it right down (if approaching from Deansgate).

 There were lots of stalls showcasing the latest in contemporary craft, including jewellery, ceramics and textiles. The building itself was a little uninspired but the stallholders had made an effort with their own displays of work, a few of which seemed to have special offers and prices on their work if bought at the fair itself.

 Tickets are £5 or £4 for concessions, and can be bought on the door.

 If you’re into crafts and up in the North this weekend then I’d recommend giving it a look, although I don’t think you’ll need to spend a whole day there.

George Stubbs Exhibition

Jul 17

Posted by evekerswill in Events, Exhibitions, News, Nottinghamshire | No Comments

The eighteenth century English painter, George Stubbs – famous for his landscapes and paintings of horses – used to love visiting the Nottinghamshire estate of one of his wealthy patrons, the Duke of Portland.      He especially liked to paint the local beauty spot, Creswell Crags and set many of his famous works there, including Horse Devoured by a Lion (1763), and A Grey Horse with a Groom & Greyhound (c1762-4). Now, for the first time, the artist’s Nottinghamshire paintings will be on display in the county, at a gallery on what used to be the Duke’s estate, now the Welbeck estate.                                                                              Among the paintings on show at the Harley Gallery will be two huge early horse portraits from 1630, on public display for the first time,  from a group of twelve commissioned by William Cavendish (later, 1st Duke of Newcastle). A total of thirteen Stubbs paintings will be on show, including Marquess of Rockingham’s Stallion (oil), Grey Horse & Groom (oil), Brown Horse Mask (print), Sweet William (print) and Creswell Crags and Hunters (a series of four prints).     

The exhibition is from 6 September-21 December at the Harley Gallery, Welbeck Estate. www.harleygallery.co.uk

*The Creswell Heritage Trust has received heritage funding and a new museum and education centre is in the process of being built there. It’s expected to be finished by next March – we will be bringing you a feature about the area soon.