Marketing Cheshire Awards - FINALIST!

21/07/26

A much-loved ice cream farm, a world-famous?Zoo?and?an historic country estate are celebrating after making it as?finalists for the 2027 Visit Cheshire Tourism Awards.

Spread over 18 categories, the awards?are?organised by Marketing Cheshire, the name behind Visit Cheshire and sponsored?by?recruitment?specialists Staff?86. They?celebrate the?businesses?and individuals behind the region’s?£4.3billion visitor economy?which attracts?almost?60m?visitors each year.

From iconic attractions and spa stays to unforgettable events and outstanding hospitality, the?shortlist?recognises the?very?best?from across?Cheshire and Warrington.

The winners?also?go?forward to?compete?in the?national?VisitEngland?Awards for?Excellence?and will?hope to?emulate?Jayne?Chapman?from?Tatton Park,?who was?crowned the national?Unsung?Hero in?June,?after?winning at the?Visit?Cheshire?Tourism?Awards?earlier?this year.

Marketing Cheshire, has?also?announced?that the final,?on Thursday 11 February will be hosted at the luxury?Fairmont Cheshire,?The Mere,?near Knutsford, which reopened last Friday following a?three-year,?multi-million-pound redevelopment and is itself a double nominee.

World-famous?attraction?and?conservation?charity Chester?Zoo?is shortlisted?in five categories?for services across the business,?namely:?Business Event Venue of the Year?Award,?Large Hotel of the Year?Award, Large Visitor Attraction of the Year?Award,?New Tourism Business of the Year?Award?and Wedding Venue of the Year?Award.

Other?Cheshire gems?with?multiple nominations include The Bear's Paw?in?Warmingham?and The Pheasant Inn?in?Tattenhall,?both?shortlisted?in?Pub of the Year?Award, the Taste of Cheshire?Award?and?Small Serviced Accommodation?Award.

While?the?Ice Cream Farm?in Chester?is hoping to enjoy a double helping of success – finding itself as a finalist?in?the?Accessible and Inclusive Tourism?and?Large Visitor Attraction of the Year?categories.

This year also sees a new category -?Rising Star?-?which honours a 16-to-24-year-old who has shown outstanding commitment to building skills, advancing their career, and contributing to the region's tourism sector.

Judges are still sifting through entries in some categories and entries?remain?open in the Best Event or Festival Award -?which?closes?on?Friday, August 28?to account for?Cheshire and?Warrington's busy?summer events?season.

Jamie Christon, Chair of?the Marketing?Cheshire?Advisory?Board, said:?"Our judges?face?a really tough decision this year, with entries showing the incredibly high standard of?talent and?work happening across the region's £4.3billion visitor economy.? "We're?delighted to?announce that we will?be?celebrating?these achievements at Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere,?after its stunning?refurb?and?expansion."

Gary Johnson, General Manager at Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere,?a celebrated countryside estate?nestled on 157 acres beside The Mere Lake just outside Knutsford, said:??"We’re delighted to be the venue hosts for this year’s Visit Cheshire?Tourism?Awards at such an exciting time for Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, following the recent redevelopment and reopening under the luxury Fairmont brand.

"As we begin this new chapter, it’s a privilege to welcome and celebrate the exceptional businesses and people of Cheshire?and?Warrington."

Tickets for the glittering event can be?purchased here

?Confirmed finalists:

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award

Circus Starr?(Congleton)

Forestry England Delamere Forest?(Northwich)

The Ice Cream Farm?(Tattenhall)

Business Events Venue of the Year

Cottons Hotel & Spa?(Knutsford)

Crewe Hall Hotel and Spa?(Crewe)

Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa?(Nr Chester)

Oddfellows Chester?(Chester)

The Square at Chester Zoo?(Chester)

Wychwood Park Hotel and Golf Club?(Nr Crewe)

Camping, Glamping Holiday Park of the Year

Aqueduct Marina?(Nantwich)

Lady Heyes Holiday Park?(Frodsham)

New Farm Cheshire Holidays?(Winsford)

Experience of the Year

Chester Cathedral?(Chester)

Go Ape Delamere Forest?(Northwich)

Halton Village Silver?(Frodsham)

Lapland Group?(Macclesfield)

Live History?(Chester)

Walking Food Tours UK?(Chester)

Wild Shore ?(Delamere)

Large Hotel of the Year

Cottons Hotel & Spa?(Knutsford)

Crewe Hall Hotel and Spa?(Crewe)

Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa?(Nr Chester)

Hotel Indigo, Chester?(Chester)

Moxy Chester?(Chester)

Peckforton Castle?(Tarporley)

The Queen at Chester Hotel?(Chester)

The Reserve at?Chester Zoo?(Chester)

Large Visitor Attraction of the year

Chester Zoo?(Chester)

Forestry England Delamere Forest?(Delamere)

Storyhouse?(Chester)

The Ice Cream Farm?(Tattenhall)

Walton Hall and Gardens?(Warrington)

New Tourism Business

Holmes Chapel Zoo?(Holmes Chapel)

The Reserve at?Chester Zoo?(Chester)

Pub of the Year

The Bear's Paw?(Warmingham)

The Fishpool?Inn?(Northwich)

The Fox and Hounds in Sproston?(Nr Holmes Chapel)

The Pheasant Inn?(Tattenhall)

The White Horse in Churton?(Nr?Tattenhall)

Rising Star

Mollie Fish, Circus Starr?(Congleton)

Shaun Gill,?Hotel Indigo?Chester & The Forge?(Chester)

Small Serviced Accommodation of the Year

Oddfellows Chester?(Chester)

The Bear's Paw?(Warmingham)

The Hive?at?52?(Northwich)

The North Wing at Combermere Abbey?(Burleydam)

The Pheasant Inn?(Tattenhall)

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

AXT Haus?(Chester)

Escapism Chester?(Chester)

The Hole?In?Wand Chester?(Chester)

Taste of Cheshire Award

Nunsmere Hall?(Northwich)

Pars?Kahve?(Chester)

Restaurant Noted?(Chester)

The Bear's Paw?(Warmingham)

The Fishpool Inn?(Northwich)

The Pheasant Inn?(Tattenhall)

Tilly's Bunbury?(Tarporley)

Upstairs at the Grill?(Chester)

Team of the Year

Circus Starr (Congleton) 
Combermere Abbey Estate (Burleydam)

Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere (Nr Knutsford)

Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement?(Macclesfield)

Tatton Park?(Knutsford)

The Park Royal Hotel & Spa?(Warrington)

The Queen at Chester?Hotel (Chester)

Unsung Hero Award

Ivette Marocsik, Head Housekeeper, Cottons Hotel?(Knutsford)

Jamie Donoher, IT Manager, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere?(Knutsford)

Tori Hayes, Marketing and Events Manager, Taste Cheshire?(Chester)

Wedding Venue of the Year

Chester Zoo?(Chester)

Crewe Hall Hotel & Spa?(Crewe)

Larkspur Lodge?(Knutsford)

Peckforton Castle?(Tarporley)

Rowton Hall Hotel and Spa (Nr Chester)

The Parr's Bank Hotel?(Warrington)

Walton Hall and Gardens?(Warrington)