Award Winners – Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards 2026

The best of the county’s tourism and hospitality businesses have been crowned at this year’s Visit Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards. 

Businesses from across the county gathered at Statfold Country Park in Tamworth, for the glittering black-tie event, sponsored by University of Staffordshire and hosted by BBC Midlands Today’s Rebecca Harper. 

An audience of nearly 400 guests saw the winners of 20 categories announced, including Alton Towers Resort (Large Visitor Attraction of the Year), Emma Bridgewater Factory (Small Visitor Attraction of the Year), The Plumicorn at The Tawny Hotel (Restaurant of the Year) and Thyme Kitchen (Casual Dining Award). 

The Tawny made it a double win and were also named Hotel of the Year, while The Fitzherbert Arms, Swynnerton retained Pub of the Year title, and the World of Wedgwood won the International Tourism Award for the second year running. 

The Experience of the Year went to Hoar Cross Hall, for their Rural Retreat Spa stay, while New Business of the Year was Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn in South Staffordshire. 

Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café took home a double win in both the Tearoom & Coffee Shop of the Year and the re-introduced Food & Drink Retailer/Farm shop category. 

Ford Wetley Cottage took the victory in the Self-Catering accommodation of the Year category, whilst the Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year was Walnut House at the Duncombe Arms in Ellastone.  For the second year running, the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park award went to Quarry Walk Park, in the Staffordshire Moorlands. 

And there were wins for Lowe’s on Carter Street in Uttoxeter, and for George Lowe in the Unsung Hero category, the Bet365 Stadium, Stoke City FC (Business Events Venue of the Year) and National Memorial Arboretum, which was successful in the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism award category. 

A new category for 2026 - the Regenerative Tourism Award -  was won by Eagle House Eccleshall. 

The Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat team were named Team of the Year after recovering from devastating flood damage to their venue, and the Rising Star Award went to Poppy Gascoine from Desire Cocktail Bar in Stoke-on-Trent. 

There was also a special award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent presented to Mo Chaudry, the former owner of Waterworld Leisure Resort, in recognition of his 30-year commitment to growing the Staffordshire visitor economy and his new Momentum Venture Capital fund to support young Staffordshire entrepreneurs.

The winners of 15 categories progress to represent Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent at the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, to be held in early June. 

Sponsors at the 2026 Visit Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Tourism Awards were Staffordshire University, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Shepherd PR, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Trentham Estate, Screen Staffordshire, NSCG Colleges Group, Stoke-on-Trent College, Starbots Creative, Davenport’s Brewery, Snapsea, Invest Staffordshire, We are Staffordshire, Staffordshire Care Leavers into Employment and Staffordshire Means Business. 

WINNERS – 2026 STAFFORDSHIRE & STOKE-ON-TRENT TOURISM AWARDS

Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award, sponsored by Care Leavers into Employment, Staffordshire County Council 

National Memorial Arboretum – GOLD  

Alton Towers Resort – SILVER  

Trentham Estate  – BRONZE 

Business Events Venue of the Year – sponsored by Stoke-on-Trent City Council 

Bet365 Stadium, Stoke City FC– GOLD 

Hilton at St George’s Park – Joint SILVER 

Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat – Joint SILVER 

Uttoxeter Racecourse  – BRONZE 

Beaconside Conference & Events Centre – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year, sponsored by Trentham Estate 

Quarry Walk Park – GOLD 

Parkhill Farm – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by NSCG Colleges Group 

Thyme Kitchen, Lichfield – GOLD 

The Black Lion Inn, Butterton  – SILVER  

Poms Lichfield – Joint BRONZE 

The Star at Cotton – Joint BRONZE 

The Royal Oak at Rushton Spencer – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Experience of the Year, sponsored by We are Staffordshire 

Rural Retreat Spa Stay, Hoar Cross Hall  – GOLD 

Polar Bear Experience, Peak Wildlife Park  – Joint SILVER  

Introduction to Throwing, World of Wedgwood – Joint Silver 

Moddershall Luxe Spa Break, Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat – BRONZE 

Distillery Tour and Tasing Experience – SIXTOWNS by Bros Distillery – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Food & Drink Retailer or Farm Shop of the Year, sponsored by Davenport’s Brewery 

Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café, near Uttoxeter – GOLD 

Mangia Mangia Italian Deli, Lichfield - SILVER 

The Titanic Brewery Shop, Stoke-on-Trent – BRONZE 

International Tourism Award, sponsored by University of Staffordshire 

World of Wedgwood – GOLD 

Courtyard by Marriott, Keele – SILVER 

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands - BRONZE 

Regenerative Tourism Award, sponsored by Shepherd PR 

Eagle House, Eccleshall – GOLD  

Peak Wildlife Park – SILVER  

The Brampton Museum - BRONZE  

Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce 

The Plumicorn at the Tawny – GOLD 

Lowe’s on Carter Street, Uttoxeter  – Joint SILVER  

LUNAR Restaurant  – Joint SILVER  

Larder Brassiere & Grill, Lichfield - BRONZE 

Large Hotel of the Year, sponsored by Invest Staffordshire 

The Tawny Hotel, Staffordshire Moorlands – GOLD 

CBeebies Land Hotel, Alton Towers Resort – Joint SILVER 

Hoar Cross Hall – Joint SILVER 

Courtyard by Marriott, Keele – Joint BRONZE 

Doubletree by Hilton, Stoke-on-Trent – Joint BRONZE 

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year, sponsored by University of Staffordshire 

Alton Towers Resort – GOLD 

National Memorial Arboretum – Joint SILVER 

World of Wedgwood – Joint SILVER 

Peak Wildlife Park – Joint BRONZE 

Trentham Estate – Joint BRONZE 

New Tourism Business of the Year, sponsored by Staffordshire County Council 

Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn, South Staffordshire – GOLD  

Desire Cocktail Bar – SILVER 

Whitmore Lakes – BRONZE 

Philip Astley Centre – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Pub of the Year, sponsored by University of Staffordshire 

The Fitzherbert Arms, Swynnerton – GOLD 

The Knot Inn – SILVER 

The Little George – Joint BRONZE 

The Trooper at Wall – Joint Bronze 

The Littleton Arms, Penkridge – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Rising Star Award, sponsored by Stoke-on-Trent College 

Poppy Gascoine, Desire Cocktail bar,  Stoke-on-Trent – GOLD 

Isabella Ranwell Zanchettin, Mangia Mangia Italian Deli – SILVER 

Slava Marynychenko, NSCG College & Lowe’s on Carter Street – BRONZE 

Kimberleigh Cyster, National Memorial Arboretum – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year, sponsored by University of Staffordshire 

Ford Wetley Cottage  – GOLD 

Eagle’s Nest Apartment, Eagle House, Eccleshall – SILVER 

ABC Boat Hire, Kings Orchard Marina – Joint BRONZE 

Dalraddy Cottage – Joint BRONZE

Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year, sponsored by Invest Staffordshire 

Walnut House, The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone – GOLD 

Fitzherbert Farmhouse – Joint SILVER 

Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat – Joint SILVER 

Eagle House, Eccleshall – Joint BRONZE 

The Little George – Joint BRONZE 

The Black Lion Inn, Butterton – Joint HIGHLY COMMENDED 

The Upper House Hotel – Joint HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year, sponsored by RH Advertising 

Emma Bridgewater Factory, Stoke-on-Trent  – GOLD  

Middleport Pottery – SILVER 

The Brampton Museum – BRONZE 

WILD Zoological Park – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Tea Room & Coffee Shop of the Year, sponsored by University of Staffordshire 

Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café  – GOLD  

Wedgwood Tea Room, World of Wedgwood – SILVER 

Poms Barton Marina – BRONZE 

The Packing House Café, Middleport Pottery – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Team of the Year, sponsored by Starbots Creative 

Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat team – GOLD 

Keeper Team, Peak Wildlife Park – SILVER 

Wedgwood Interactors, World of Wedgwood – BRONZE 

Customer Experience Team, Play @ Lower Drayton Farm – HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by Screen Staffordshire 

George Lowe, Lowe’s on Carter Street, Uttoxeter – GOLD 

Karen Johnson, Alton Towers Resort – SILVER 

Mark Wisdom, Poms – Joint BRONZE 

Sophie Galantini, Hockerhill Adventure Playbarn – Joint BRONZE 

Duncan Coleman, Trentham Estate – Joint HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Keith Harrison, The Gatehouse Theatre – Joint HIGHLY COMMENDED 

The Graeme Whitehead Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Award was won by Mo Chaudry