Organised by the Herefordshire County BID, the Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards span a range of tourism-related sectors, including accommodation, visitor attractions, food & drink, sustainability and accessibility.
Stockton Bury’s Tithe Barn Cafe is shortlisted in the Taste of England Award category. The cafe, set in the beautiful gardens, is a popular place with an impressive selection of dishes, made from home-grown and local produce.
The family run, Stockton Bury Gardens has been home to the same family for five generations and is known for its extensive collection of plants, many rare and unusual set amongst medieval buildings. The four acre garden was created by Raymond and Gordon Fenn in the last 40 years, and is now managed by the talented sisters, Tamsin Westhorpe and Connie Marston. Marston runs the farm and café, whilst Westhorpe manages the garden which is open to the public from April to October. Well known in the industry, Westhorpe is an experienced horticultural journalist, author, gardener and RHS Chelsea Flower Show Judge.
“Our mission is to offer great seasonal food and a warm welcome. Being a finalist is all credit to our front of house cafe team, chef Tracey Edwards and our queen of cakes, Jane Morris. Everything we do is focused on giving our valued customers a reason to return. It’s fabulous to be recognised,” said Westhorpe.
Diane Mansell, CEO of Herefordshire County BID/Visit Herefordshire, said: “We are incredibly excited to reveal the shortlist for the inaugural Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards. The quality and diversity of the businesses represented is a testament to the strength of Herefordshire’s tourism sector. This year’s awards have drawn a fantastic response, and we look forward to celebrating the region’s best with the local tourism community in February 2025.”
All the Visit Herefordshire Tourism Award finalists are now in the second round of judging, where independent industry professionals will conduct site visits and assessments to determine the winners and highly commended finalists in each category. The winners will be unveiled at the inaugural Awards Evening in February 2025.
All award winners will be subsequently shortlisted for the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, providing an opportunity national recognition amongst some of the country’s finest, industry-wide exposure and a chance to be named as one of the best tourism experiences in England.
The full list of shortlisted businesses and further information about the awards can be found on the Visit Herefordshire website.