More trophies were handed out than ever before to celebrate businesses across the county at the 2019 Dorset Tourism Awards.

A record 78 trophies were presented to tourism businesses at the awards dinner, held at The Tank Museum on Thursday, November 17 with guest speaker Simon Cripps, Chief Executive of Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Now in its seventh year, the Awards broke all records in celebrating the best of Dorset tourism and also as the route for Dorset businesses to win in the South West and national VisitEngland awards.

This year saw a new category for Dog Friendly Pub along with many category changes at the celebratory dinner, with awards presented by BBC Dorset’s Steve Harris and an inspiring talk about Dorset’s wildlife by Simon Cripps.

Winners had been through what is recognised as one of the country’s most rigorous judging processes involving assessment of entry forms, 115 judging visits and ending with decisions by an independent panel.

The Gold award for best New Tourism Business went to West Bay Discovery Centre. Their interactive displays in the inside the former historic Methodist Church at the edge of the beach cover many aspects of West Bay’s heritage.

Also successful on the night was Highlands Eng Holiday Park in Bridport. The park won the top award in Holiday Park of the Year category.

The prestigious Winner of Winners trophy went to Bagwell Farm Touring Park in Weymouth for their consistency in winning the sustainable tourism Gold award for the third successive year.

Other multiple Gold winners were Jurassic Coast Guides, the Tank Museum and Tankfest.

Nick Fernyhough, partner at headline sponsors Saffery Champness said: “What a fantastic evening.

"The awards have demonstrated the depth and quality of the tourism industry in Dorset with so many worthy winners.

"Dorset’s tourism offering continues to go from strength to strength and it is a privilege to be involved with so many people and organisations that are contributing in so many ways to the Dorset economy.

"Standards seem to rise every year and it is great to see so many new names amongst the winners.

“Robin and his team do a fantastic job putting on this event which showcases all that is best about the visitor experience in Dorset.”

The Dorset Tourism Awards have seen year on year growth since their launch in June 2013. Robin Barker, who has led the awards throughout this development, has been delighted with progress: “Tourism is a global industry and no-one can afford to stand still.

"It is so rewarding to see so many Dorset tourism businesses take on this challenge, investing so much in their businesses and in being the best. Huge congratulations to everyone.”

Successful businesses in the Dorset Awards will now be fast tracked into the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in February 2020 and possibly into the national VisitEngland awards later in the year.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS 2019 

ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM AWARD sponsored by Purple Cloud

Gold - Durlston Country Park National Nature Reserve, Swanage

Silver - Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum, Dorchester

Bronze - West Bay Play Area, Bridport

ACTIVE AND SPORTING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Dorset Tourism Association

Gold - Cumulus Outdoors, Wareham

Silver - RockReef and PierZip on Bournemouth Pier, Bournemouth

Bronze - Lyme Bay RIB Charter, Bridport

B&B AND GUESTHOUSE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Goadsby

Gold - Wooden Cabbage, Dorchester

Silver - Mory House, Southbourne

Bronze - Gutchpool B&B, Gillingham

Commended - St John’s Guest House, Weymouth

BUSINESS EVENTS & WEDDING VENUE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Insight6

Gold - Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth

Silver - The Green House Hotel, Bournemouth

Bronze - Mapperton Weddings, Beaminster / Upton Country Park, Poole

CAFÉ & TEAROOM OF THE YEAR sponsored by The Book & Bucket Cheese Company

Gold - Yellow Bicycle Café, Blandford Forum

Silver - The Gallery Café, Pallington

Bronze - Taste Café on Chesil Beach, Weymouth

Commended - The Coach House Café, Beaminster

CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERSTAR AWARD sponsored by Bournemouth Water Services

Winner - Pete Abbott, The Café at Upton Country Park

DOG FRIENDLY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Forthglade

Gold - The Grove Arms, Ludwell

Silver - Lancombe Country Cottages & Lodges, Dorchester

Bronze - Upton Country Park, Poole

ETHICAL, RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD sponsored by NFU Mutual

Gold - Bagwell Farm Touring Park, Weymouth

Silver - Bridport Tourist Information Centre, Bridport

Bronze - The Grange at Oborne, Sherborne

Commended - Farmstead Glamping, Sturminster Newton

FORTHGLADE DOG FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR sponsored by Forthglade

Gold - The Grove Arms, Ludwell

Silver - Milton Arms, Blandford Forum

GLAMPING & ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Quality in Tourism

Gold - Farmstead Glamping, Sturminster Newton

Silver - Dorset Forest Garden Glamping, Beaminster

Bronze - The Seaside Shepherd’s Hut, West Bexington

HOLIDAY PARK OF THE YEAR sponsored by Elavon

Gold - Highlands End Holiday Park, Bridport

Silver - The Waterside Holiday Park & Spa, Weymouth

Commended - Durdle Door Holiday Park, Lulworth / Oakdene Forest Park, St Leonards

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Simpleview

Gold - Jurassic Coast Guides, Milborne St Andrewn / Tankfest, The Tank Museum, Bovington

LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Hotel Perfect

Gold - Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa, Christchurch

Silver - RNLI College, Poole

Bronze - Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth

Commended - Moonfleet Manor Hotel, Weymouth

LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Pear Communications

Gold - Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park, Poole / The Tank Museum, Bovington

Silver - Moors Valley Country Park & Forest, Ringwood

Bronze - Swanage Railway, Swanage

LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Conker Spirit

Gold - Jurassic Coast Guides, Milborne St Andrew

Silver - Lulworth Outdoors, Wareham

Bronze - RNLI College Discovery & ALC Tours, Poole

Commended - Birds of Poole Harbour, Poole

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO DORSET TOURISM sponsored by Saffery Champness

Winners - Libby Battaglia, Light Up Poole / John Baker, Sherborne Abbey Festival

NEW TOURISM BUSINESS AWARD sponsored by Visit Dorset

Gold - West Bay Discovery Centre, West Bay

Silver - Farmstead Glamping, Sturminster Newton

PUB OF THE YEAR sponsored by Porter Dodson

Gold - Three Horseshoes Pub & Kitchen, Burton Bradstock

Silver - Acorn Inn, Evershot

Bronze - The Halfmoon, Shaftesbury

Commended - The Fat Badger, Weymouth

RESTAURANT/BISTRO OF THE YEAR sponsored by Piddle Brewery

Gold - The Jetty, Christchurch

Silver - The Ollerod, Beaminster

Bronze - Arbor Restaurant, Bournemouth / Seasons at The Eastbury, Sherborne

Commended - Drgnfly, Poole

SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Dorset Food & Drink

Gold - Greenwood Grange, Higher Bockhampton

Silver - Merry Hill Barn, Luxury Dorset Cottages, Abbotsbury

Bronze - Doles Ash Farm Holiday Cottages, Dorchester

Commended - Burnbake Forest Lodges, Corfe Castle

SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Clockwork

Gold - The Green House Hotel, Bournemouth

Silver - The Eastbury, Sherborne

Bronze - The Grange at Oborne, Sherborne

SMALL VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR sponsored by Resort Dorset

Gold - Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum, Dorchester

Silver - Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park, Verwood / Langham Wine Estate, Dorchester

Commended - Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington

SPA & WELLBEING EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Taurus

Gold - Mellulah Therapy & Yoga Retreats, Milton Abbas

Silver - Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa, Christchurch

Bronze - Lovegrove at The Ollerod, Beaminster

TOURING CAMPING AND CARAVANNING PARK OF THE YEAR sponsored by ClubWifi

Gold - South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Dorchester

Silver - East Fleet Touring Park, Chickerell

Bronze - Wood Farm Caravan Park, Charmouth

Commended - Higher Moor Farm Campsite, Weymouth

TOURISM EVENT/FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR sponsored by Yellow Buses

Gold - Tankfest, The Tank Museum, Bovington

Silver - Sherborne Abbey Festival, Sherborne