Winners of the Gold award for Access & Inclusivity in the Bristol, Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards

We are thrilled to announce that we have won Gold for Access & Inclusivity in the Bristol, Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards. This award is for tourism businesses that provide inclusive tourism experiences for all visitors, particularly for people with health conditions, impairments, accessibility requirements and their travelling companions.  

The county's prestigious Tourism Awards, held on the evening of Thursday 15th November, saw the cream of Bristol, Bath & Somerset's tourism industry attend the glittering ceremony at The Apex Hotel in Bath.  At this over subscribed, high-octane event over 300 guests filled the venue in eager anticipation.  It's not often that so many people working in the tourism business get together – so it's a real treat and calendar highlight.

Hosted by Laura Rawlings from BBC Radio Bristol, we enjoyed a delicious locally sourced three course dinner, speeches by Phil de Glanville, former Captain of Bath Rugby club, and Giles Adams, managing editor of What's on Somerset magazine.  

This award, sponsored by Purple Cloud Consultancy, was open to ALL business in the tourism sector, so it was no mean feat for The Cottage Beyond, a self-catering property in rural Kittisford, to take on the best across Bristol, Bath & Somerset.  Judges were looking for evidence, not just of ‘good’, but of ‘excellent’ hence to be an award winner is a very significant achievement indeed!

The judging panel particularly loved The Cottage Beyond’s approach of "Encouraging guests to take their 1st steps with different challenges."  

Congratulations must also go to our fellow finalists Wells Cathedral and Three Abbey Green who won Silver and Bronze respectively, and to those highly commended within our category; the University of Bath and Wall Eden Farm Holidays and Adventure Activities.

Somerset based organiser Nell Barrington said “last night I was just so excited and proud to be celebrating with these amazing tourism businesses.  The numbers of entries this year has increased by nearly a third so the competition was really tough and it was great to see so many turn out in force to celebrate their achievements.  My congratulations goes out to them all.”

All credit for this award must go to our son Hugh, who slowly opened our eyes to the world of disability and gently led us on a journey of discovery, enlightenment and inspiration.  Without his arrival into our family we would never have questioned the use of steps, the width of doorways, or the importance of a spacious wet-room with grab rails.  Nor would we have learnt that communication is so much more than the written and spoken word.  We've learnt patience, compassion, and the need to be non-judgmental of every individual.  Not all disabilities are visible, and not everyone with a disability wants help.   TCB has grown and altered over many years, with care and thought, to ensure access and inclusivity, whilst maintaining a luxurious and ‘normal’ look.  Thank you Hugh.

For more information about The Cottage Beyond's inclusive, accessible accommodation please see our accessibility statement.