Staff at the Hebden Bridge Visitor Centre are celebrating after scooping the prestigious Visitor Information award at the Welcome to Yorkshire, White Rose Awards ceremony on Monday 21 November.
The White Rose Awards is the largest celebration of tourism excellence in the UK. Recognising and rewarding the very best of the industry throughout Yorkshire. The awards recognise a wide range of achievements in tourism provision, such as best large and small hotels, pubs, restaurants, camping and caravan sites, cultural events and of course visitor information.
The process is rigorous and independently judged. In the application, Calderdale Council had to demonstrate that Visitor Centre staff go over and above the call of duty to provide excellent customer service and showcase Yorkshire in its best light.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, Cllr Susan Press, said:
“It’s wonderful news that the Hebden Bridge Visitor Centre has been awarded the Yorkshire-wide White Rose Visitor Information award.
“Tourism in Calderdale is critical to our economic success, and excellent customer service to welcome our visitors and advise them where to stay, shop, eat and play is an important part of this.
“This accolade is very much deserved, and is a wonderful highlight in what has been, at times, a trying year for the Centre.”
On Boxing Day 2015, Hebden Bridge Visitor Centre, like many other businesses in the valley was devastated by flooding. However the team were up and running just days later in a make-shift centre; offering advice and information to locals, businesses and visitors. Severe stock damage and leaflet displays meant the staff used their initiative and expert local knowledge to advise and inform.
Calderdale Council’s Visitor Services Manager, Anneliese Gray, commented:
“The road back to normality has been a long one with staff working in the midst of repair works and popping up elsewhere to give visitors a great welcome to Hebden Bridge and Calderdale.
“We felt the staff deserved to be recognised for their hard work throughout this difficult year and decided to submit an application – we are all really pleased with the result.”
Following the completed repairs, the Centre is now fully operational and stocked with locally sourced goodies providing that perfect souvenir or Christmas present.
The team will be having a special launch event on Saturday 10 December to welcome locals and businesses into see the revamped Centre, show off the White Rose Award and provide the opportunity to buy that special present.