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SAILING TO NATIONAL GLORY The Idle Rocks in St Mawes took Silver in the Small Hotel of the Year category, while Glynn Barton also received a Silver, for Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year. The winners were announced at a ceremony hosted by broadcaster and author Clare Balding at the Library of Birmingham.
Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School shone in last month’s VisitEngland Awards, scooping two Golds. Cornwall was nominated across five categories, making it the top equal county in England, having progressed from winning in the Cornwall and the south west awards before achieving national success. The sailing school triumphed in the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award and Experience of the Year categories, while Three Mile Beach was named England’s New Tourism Business of the Year.
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, running for more than 30 years, celebrate and champion innovation, quality and best practice across the industry recognising businesses and individuals who raise the bar of England’s tourism offer. Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “Our superb tourism businesses offer something for everyone and the sector is one we can be proud of. It is fantastic to see so many hardworking businesses of all sizes recognised for their gold-standard contribution to English tourism and I congratulate all the winners.”
GEMS BOOSTS SAS
Holiday home company Cornish Gems has presented environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) with a donation of £3,326. Cornish Gems, which offers a portfolio of over 200 holiday properties in Cornwall, chose SAS as its 2021 Gems Charity of the Year – pledging its support to fundraise and drive awareness of the charity’s essential environmental and conservation work. The donation from Cornish Gems will directly support SAS’ campaign for clean water, an end to plastic pollution, action on climate change and conservation education in schools. The Gems Charity of the Year initiative began in 2018 and has so far raised over £17.5k for worthy causes, with donations being shared with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the Cornwall Air Ambulance, the RNLI – and now Surfer’s Against Sewage.
NEW OPERATOR FOR SCILLIES SERVICE A new operator will take over the operation of the Penzance Helicopters service to the Isles of Scilly this winter, replacing current operator Sloane Helicopters. The helicopter service flies year-round between Penzance and the islands of Tresco and St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly and has been operated by Sloane Helicopters since it was launched in March 2020. The new operator – Surrey based Starspeed – will take over from November and is already working in close cooperation with Sloane to ensure a seamless transition for passengers and staff. Penzance Helicopters flies to Tresco and St Mary’s six days a week throughout the year, offering a 15-minute flight to the islands from a purpose-built heliport on the outskirts of Penzance. Since launching, the service has 38 | BUSINESS CORNWALL
carried over 50,000 passengers between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, increasing travel capacity, resilience and ease to the islands. Dr Simon Mitchell, MD of Starspeed Ltd, said: “We’re extremely proud to bring our resources, knowledge and experience to this
important route between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly. “Our unrivalled reputation for safety, service and individual attention – as well as our professional and friendly culture – will help grow Penzance Helicopters to the benefit of the whole Isles of Scilly community.”
