Media Release

Sherborne tourism businesses win Gold, Silver and Bronze at Dorset Tourism Awards 2015

The market town of Sherborne, Dorset is celebrating this week as it received confirmation of its tourism "wow" factor with several of its tourism businesses in and around the town receiving major accolades in the Dorset Tourism Awards held on 15 October at Bovington Tank Museum.

Country house hotel The Grange at Oborne walked away with the Gold award for Best Small Hotel, closely followed by the elegant, Georgian Eastbury Hotel in the heart of Sherborne which received Silver for the second year running. The Eastbury Hotel also won another Silver award for Best Restaurant of the Year and the Sherborne Abbey Festival picked up Bronze for Tourism Event of the Year. The White Post at Rimpton, just outside Sherborne, scored another Gold winning Best Tourism Pub of the Year.

Janet Schofield, Chair of Sherborne Tourism Forum, said, "We are delighted so many of Sherborne's tourism businesses have been recognised by these Awards, particularly given the strong competition from the whole of Dorset. It is fantastic that two of our small hotels have been picked out as the best places to stay in Dorset. Also the Awards in the food and drink sectors highlight the town and its surrounding pubs as a real food tourism destination."

Sherborne is not only being recognised as a destination for good food and drink, but also attracts visitors with a mix of different events throughout the year. The Sherborne Abbey Festival held at the beginning of May is a volunteer-led event that grows in popularity every year with 2015 seeing the most successful year yet. Next month fans will be treated to an additional event on 7 November called War Horse Only Remembered and featuring readings by author Michael Morpurgo.www.sherborneabbeyfestival.org.

The Town has just held its very successful Sherborne Literary Festival featuring speakers that included HRH, Princess Michael of Kent, John Suchet, Kate Adie and Victoria Hislop and bringing in a number of visitors from outside the area. Hot on the heels of the Literary Festival is Sherborne's International Film Festival from 29 Oct - 1 November, specialising in showing a number of international films that otherwise would not be available to see in the area.www.shiff.org.uk.

Picture Captions: Top: The Grange at Oborne won Gold for Best Small Hotel; The Eastbury Hotel won two Silver Awards for Best Small Hotel and Best Restaurant

Contact Sherborne Tourist Information Centre for details and info about the area:sherborne.tic@westdorset-weymouth.gov.ukor visitwww.sherbornedorset.co.uk. More press information and hi res images: Jane Adkins, A Head for PR Ltd, T/: 01935 813114; M/: 07960698089 or E/:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

October 2015 (Sherborne 08)