The Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2007 were announced at The Banqueting House in London last week.

Alnwick Castle in Northumberland and Brunel’s ss Great Britain in Bristol won joint place in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year category.

The judges praised Alnwick Castle for its informative, engaging and entertaining tours, and Brunel’s ss for its engaging exposition of the ship’s history.

The Grade II-listed Chester Grosvenor and Spa in Chester was awarded Large Hotel of the Year for displaying “Excellence at every level with an amazing attention to personal service to each and every customer”.

Other winners at the awards included the Harrogate International Centre in North Yorkshire (Business Tourism); The Star Inn & Perns of Helmsley (Taste of England) and Skelwith Fold Caravan Park in Ambleside (Caravan Holiday Park of the Year).

Sir Paul McCartney won the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism prize. England marketing advisory board chair Hugh Taylor said: “McCartney has done great things for his home city of Liverpool, which has been completely transformed and seen visitor numbers more than double in the last five years. His influence on the success of Liverpool’s tourism cannot be understated.

The Enjoy England Awards are now in their 18th year, and are made up of 12 categories, from visitor attractions and hotels, to self-catering accommodation and caravan parks.