The Harrogate Hospitality Awards took place on Monday night (11th June) during a gala dinner at the Harrogate International Centre’s Royal Hall.
Now in their fourth year, the sell-out awards evening, which is organised by Destination Harrogate, was hosted by Janet Street-Porter, TV celebrity and Journalist.
The Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Awards aim to promote the town’s hospitality offering through celebrating and rewarding those individuals who show the highest levels of commitment and strive towards excellence on the town’s behalf.
During February and March members of the public and visitors to Harrogate were invited to nominate individuals who they thought deserved special recognition. Over 700 nominations were collected before a shortlist of 33 was chosen by judges across nine categories.
David Ritson, Chair of Destination Harrogate and General Manager of The Old Swan Hotel, said:
The awards are a fantastic event for the town and beyond. They reward not only the winners, but all those who work in every area of hospitality, recognising the effort and commitment they make on a daily basis.
This year’s winners include The Mercer Art Gallery which last year was significantly refurbished and re-opened with the record breaking exhibition of Atkinson Grimshaw; Painter of the Moonlight collection. This exhibition sold over 5,000 catalogues and attracted over 36,000 visitors in a four month period with national acclaim.
The 2012 Award winners are:-
Waiter/Waitress of the Year – Nicolay Araujo – Rudding Park Hotel
Bar Person of the Year – Peter Dobrontei – Hotel Du Vin
Chef of the Year – David Stewart-Pybus – Goldsborough Hall
Team of the Year – Majestic Hotel
Newcomer of the Year – Rik Anderson – Harlow Carr Gardens
Unsung Hero – Nigel Parry – Royal Oak at Staveley
Best Achievement of the Year – Mercer Art Gallery
Outstanding Customer Service – Amanda and the Bar Team – Hales Bar
Harrogate Ambassador – Pam Grant
