BBC Newsnight’s Gavin Esler presented this year's Regional Enjoy England Awards for Excellence at a black tie dinner on Thursday 29 October 2009 at The West Wing at Ickworth (nr. Bury St. Edmunds) in Suffolk.

The Enjoy England Awards for Excellence are recognised as the premier awards for the tourism industry. The regional awards highlight the quality of the tourism industry in the eastern region (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk), and help to raise the profile of the participants. The regional winners in each category are automatically entered for the national awards, which will be presented in April 2010. 

EET’s Chairman, Derek Langslow, said "These awards recognise the excellent standards being achieved within the tourism industry throughout the region. They highlight the high quality and excellent customer service within the industry, as well as some marvellous examples of best practice in welcoming visitors with disabilities, promoting local produce and looking after the environment".

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Large Hotel of the Year

Winner: The Angel Hotel, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk 

Finalists:          
Marriott Hanbury Manor (nr. Ware), Hertfordshire

Small Hotel of the Year

Winner: Broad House Hotel, Wroxham, Norfolk        

Finalists:          
Great Hallingbury Manor, Great Hallingbury (nr. Bishop’s Stortford), Essex
Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, Kesgrave (nr. Ipswich), Suffolk

B&B/Guest Accommodation of the Year

Winner: Incleborough House, East Runton (nr. Cromer), Norfolk       

Finalists:
Carrick’s at Castle Farm, Swanton Morley (nr. Dereham), Norfolk
Park Hall Country House, St. Osyth (nr. Clacton-on-Sea), Essex

Caravan Holiday Park of the Year

Winner: Deer’s Glade, Hanworth (nr. Norwich), Norfolk

Finalists:          
Kelling Heath, Weybourne (nr. Holt), Norfolk
Waldegraves Holiday and Leisure Park, Mersea Island, Essex

Self Catering Holiday of the Year

Winner: Stable Cottage, East Runton (nr. Cromer), Norfolk          

Finalists:          
Nutmeg and Plum Tree Cottages, Ashmanhaugh (nr. Norwich), Norfolk
Pevors Farm Cottages, Southey Green, Sible Hedingham, Essex 

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

Winner: BeWILDerwood, Hoveton (nr. Norwich), Norfolk                    

Finalists:
Imperial War Museum Duxford (nr. Cambridge), Cambridgeshire
Woburn Safari Park, Bedfordshire 

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

Winner: Layer Marney Tower (nr. Colchester), Essex                 

Finalists:          
Ipswich Museum, Suffolk
RAF Air Defence Radar Museum, Neatishead (nr. Norwich), Norfolk                  

Best Tourism Event/Festival

Winner: Ipswich Arts Festival, Suffolk              

Finalists:
Luton Carnival, Bedfordshire
Rhythms of the World, Hitchin, Hertfordshire

Best Tourism Experience 

Winner: Live the City, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire  

Finalists:
Celtic Harmony, Brickendon (nr. Hertford), Hertfordshire
Pleasurewood Hills Theme Park, Corton (nr. Lowestoft), Suffolk

Taste of England Award

Winner: The Bildeston Crown, Bildeston (nr. Hadleigh), Suffolk                      

Finalists:          
The Embankment, Bedford
Denver Mill, Denver (nr. Downham Market), Norfolk 

Sustainable Tourism Award

Winner: Deepdale Leisure, Burnham Deepdale (nr. Hunstanton), Norfolk            

Finalists:          
Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, South Walsham (nr. Norwich), Norfolk
Pinetrees B&B, Beccles, Suffolk

Access for All Award

Winner: Park House Hotel, Sandringham (nr. King's Lynn), Norfolk                     

Finalists:          
Imperial War Museum Duxford (nr. Cambridge), Cambridgeshire

Tourist Information Service

Winner: Ely, Cambridgeshire            

Finalists:          
Lavenham, Suffolk
Saffron Walden, Essex

Business Tourism Award

Winner: Imperial War Museum, Duxford (nr. Cambridge), Cambridgeshire                     

Finalists:          
Newmarket Racecourses, Suffolk

Outstanding Customer Service Award

Winner: Suzanne Evans, Boon’s Calibre Travel, Hatfield Peverel (nr. Chelmsford), Essex            

Finalists:          
Bob Streatfield, Woburn Safari Park
Peter Thorne, Imperial War Museum Duxford (nr. Cambridge), Cambridgeshire

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Further information: Jane Cryer, East of England Tourism, +44 (0)1284 727495.