#LoveYork Awards Winners Announced

The winners of the brand new #LoveYork Awards were announced on Friday 12^th February across the Visit York Facebook and Twitter channels. The social media awards celebrated the very best of York’s tourism, hospitality and retail businesses, lifting spirits during the lockdown period and engaging both business owners and visitors alike.

More than 6,400 residents, ‘visitors’ and York fans have voted for their favourites in the #LoveYork Awards – choosing over 25 different businesses to be awarded the Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes across 11 inclusive and fun awards categories.

The #LoveYork Awards kicked off on Friday morning with the announcement of the ‘Lockdown Hero’ award winners. The top Gold award has gone to Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours for his free, fun and interactive virtual tours on York’s dark history that kept people entertained and connected with their friends and family throughout the lockdowns. The Silver prize was awarded to SPARK:York CIC for their support to York’s key workers and the Lockdown Collections initiative. Community heroes – the Supper Collective have received the Bronze award for their free supper deliveries to York’s vulnerable and isolated, as well as the NHS staff at York Hospital.

A number of award categories focused on the ‘best of the best’ experiences and initiatives introduced by organisations during the period of national lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions. Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours was voted the ‘Favourite York Virtual Experience’ with National Railway Museum Online coming in second and Shadows of York taking the Bronze award. Recognised for going above and beyond in the ‘Going the Extra Mile’ award were Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours for their free virtual tours (Gold), York Gin for their sophisticated virtual gin tastings (Silver), and Love Cheese for their delicious virtual cheese tasting events (Bronze).

Food and drink venues were showcased through a number of awards. The public has chosen Shambles Market Food Court (Gold), Spark:York CIC (Silver) and Yuzu Street Food (Bronze) as their ‘Favourite Lockdown Foodie Experiences’. Looking to the future, York residents and visitors can’t wait to grab a bite at Lucia Wine Bar & Grill (Gold), Roots York (Silver) and Ambiente Tapas (Bronze) winners of ‘The Restaurant I Can’t Wait to Dine At’ award, and enjoy a pint at The House of Trembling Madness – the Gold winner of ‘The Pub/Bar I’ll Be Heading to First’ award, followed by The Lamb and Lion Inn (Silver) and Brew York (Bronze).

The ‘Attraction or Experience I’ll Be Visiting First After Lockdown’ category had the largest number of nominees, giving voters a lot of choices and inspiring their future travel plans. Gold prize was awarded to York Maze, Silver went to Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours and York Minster has received Bronze. The awards have also uncovered three of York’s ‘Most Surprising Hidden Gems’ – The York Dungeon (Gold), The Bar Convent (Silver), and The Blue Bell (Bronze).

Fierce competition has unfolded in ‘The Event I’m Eager to Attend’ award category, with York visitors and residents ready to add events and festivals to their future events calendars. York Christmas Festival was crowned Gold, with York Food & Drink Festival receiving the Silver award and York Races taking home the Bronze prize. When choosing their ‘Home Away from Home’ voters were eager to stay at The Grand York after the lockdown restrictions are lifted and it is safe to do so. The Principal York has been voted a close second and a lovely B&B 23 St Mary’s came in third.

With such a diverse local independent shopping scene, #LoveYork Awards also set out to showcase the people’s ‘Favourite York Independent Shopping Experience’. Shambles Market has been chosen as the top local independent shopping experience, with York Gin receiving the Silver prize and The Potions Cauldron taking home Bronze.

Ashley Young, Senior Marketing Manager at Make It York, said:

“The competition for the #LoveYork Awards was truly fierce, with each nominated business deserving to be the chosen winner. We are immensely proud of all the hard work that has gone on in York’s tourism, hospitality and retail industries over the last year, and these awards are a way to really recognise their resilience, creativity and passion.

“We were excited to see a large number of residents and visitors as well as nominated businesses engaging with the awards on social media. This initiative was designed to showcase York’s world-class attractions and experiences, accommodation providers, food and drink venues and independent retailers who’ve worked hard throughout the past year bringing innovative ideas and valuable support to York residents and fans of the city from across the globe. Congratulations to all winners of the #LoveYork Awards and well done to the nominees!”

The #LoveYork Awards is one of the initiatives launched by Make It York as part of the overarching #LoveYork campaign to champion the city’s unique offer and promote York’s diverse range of indie businesses and attractions. Other initiatives include the #LoveYork Virtual Market, #KidsLoveYork Educational hub and the virtual ‘York At Home’ experiences hub.

To see the full list of winners, visit www.visityork.org/loveyorkawards.

Find out more about the #LoveYork campaign here: www.visityork.org/explore/loveyork

ENDS

Full list of #LoveYork Awards winners:

Favourite York Virtual Experience

Winners:
Gold – Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours
Silver – National Railway Museum Online
Bronze – Shadows of York virtual tour

The Restaurant I Can’t Wait to Dine At

Winners:
Gold – Lucia Wine Bar & Grill
Silver – Roots York
Bronze – Ambiente Tapas

An Attraction or Experience I’ll Be Visiting First After Lockdown

Winners:
Gold – York Maze
Silver – Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours
Bronze – York Minster

The Most Surprising York Hidden Gem

Winners:
Gold – The York Dungeon
Silver – The Bar Convent
Bronze – The Blue Bell

The Pub/Bar I’ll Be Heading to First

Winners:
Gold – The House of Trebling Madness
Silver – The Lamb and Lion Inn
Bronze – Brew York

Favourite Lockdown Foodie Experience

Winners:
Gold – Shambles Market Food Court
Silver – Spark: York CIC
Bronze – Yuzu Street Food

Going the Extra Mile Award

Winners:
Gold – Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours
Silver – York Gin
Bronze – Love Cheese

The Event I’m Eager to Attend

Winners:
Gold – York Christmas Festival
Silver – York Food & Drink Festival
Bronze – York Races

Home Away from Home Award

Winners:
Gold – The Grand York
Silver – The Principal York
Bronze – 23 St Mary’s

Favourite York Independent Shopping Experience

Winners:
Gold – Shambles Market
Silver – York Gin
Bronze – The Potions Cauldron

Lockdown Hero Award

Winners:
Gold – Dorian Deathly’s Dark Tours
Silver – Spark: York CIC
Bronze – The Supper Collective

Notes to Editor

Make It York

Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. The company’s remit covers leisure and business tourism, city centre management, festivals and events, business support and inward investment.

Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand

Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York.

For more information please contact:

Ana Ignatova – Communications Executive
Email: ana.ignatova@makeityork.com