WORCESTERSHIRE’S top tourism firms stand the chance of being honoured with a county excellence award.

Readers have between now and the middle of April to nominate their choices for the businesses offering a real taste of the county and recognising everything from the best bed and breakfast to the champions of local produce.

The first Worcestershire Welcome Awards, organised by Destination Worcestershire, will honour the unsung heroes of the county’s healthy heritage of good food, good accommodation and great times.

Nominating is easy; you can register your vote at visitworcestershire.org or by completing the downloadable form there. It will also be printed regularly in your Worcester News.

The deadline for voting is Monday, April 20.

The top accolade of Warmest Worcestershire Welcome will be given to the winner of one of these four main award categories: Best Worcestershire Breakfast: The best breakfast from regional produce.

Worcestershire Awareness: Aimed at establishments genuinely interested in promoting the region, whether it be with restaurant recommendations or seasonal celebrations such as the Asparagus Run.

Worcestershire Nights: Awarding the establishment which gives the quintessential welcoming ambience, value for money and a good night’s sleep.

Eat & Drink Worcestershire: Use of seasonal and regional produce together with provenance of products. This extends to all staff and not just proprietors, including farm shops and retail outlets.

One firm which has taken the message of Worcestershire Welcome to heart is Tiltridge Farm and Vineyard in the Severn Valley, near Upton-upon-Severn.

For more than 20 years Sandy Barker has run the award-winning bed and breakfast, priding herself on serving up a breakfast packed with the best of local produce and she also helps look after the one-and-a-half acre vineyard business with her husband Peter.

She said it makes more business sense to move away from supermarket and wholesaler buying to purchasing produce locally, helping the Worcestershire economy.

“For me it’s about supporting local producers and I think you get more money into local businesses that way than by trading with supermarkets,” she said.

“You’ll always pay a premium for local produce but when people come to stay in Worcestershire, it’s part of the experience.”

Mrs Barker said running the business was hard work but meeting people restored her faith in human nature.

“Ninety-nine per cent of people I meet are a pleasure to have to stay, being considerate, congenial and appreciative,” she said.

A typical breakfast spread at Tiltridge is a fine advert for the county’s food and drink with juices and fruits from nearby Clive’s Fruit Farm, meat from Teme Vale, of Broadheath, and Myer’s Butchers, in Upton.

The B&B also makes its own jams and jellies, and the vineyard’s white wine carries the name of one of Worcestershire’s most famous sons, composer Edward Elgar.

  • Nominating in the Worcestershire Welcome Awards is easy, you can register your vote at visitworcestershire.org or by completing the downloadable form here which will also be printed regularly in your Worcester News. Voting closes on Monday, April 20.