DO YOU KNOW A STAR?
HHTA is proud to announce Harrogate’s Hospitality & Tourism Awards for 2026; now in its eighteenth year we aim to celebrate the best of the best amongst the people and businesses who represent our town’s leading industry in the form of Business and Leisure Tourism.
We want to celebrate and reward those individuals who truly represent Harrogate as one of the country’s best destinations for both business and leisure tourism. Harrogate is a successful, vibrant, and desirable location in which to both live and work, and much of it’s success is due to the millions of pounds generated annually into the town’s economy through tourism. To do this however, we have to have the very best people providing their very best day in day out and we have therefore decided to reward and congratulate these people through these awards.
If you know someone who deserves that special recognition within any of the listed categories please vote for them by the 31st March 2026. Vote online or hand in completed forms to the Reception Desk at the Yorkshire Hotel, Harrogate before 31st March. You’ll find the voting criteria on the website and the voting forms. After this date, a panel of judges will create a shortlist of four from each category who will be invited to attend a prestigious Gala Dinner at the Royal Hall on the 1st June 2026 where the winners will be announced on the night
THE CATEGORIES
Waiter / Waitress of the Year
Sponsored by Harrogate Spring Water
Nominees for this award will have demonstrated an unrivaled level of customer service within the business that they work. Someone who has consistently proved they are at the top of their game and has become a firm favourite of customers both old and new. The winner will work in a restaurant, hotel or similar food service operation and will ooze charm, character, personality and professionalism.
Chef of the Year
Sponsored by Sykes House Farm
Not only will the winning individual of this prestigious award have to demonstrate passion, flare, and creativity; be showcasing local produce and have a great reputation for food – the Chefs who reach the shortlist for this award will now have to raise the bar even higher! Nominees will be invited to a master chef style cook off with a secret ingredient box, against the clock at Harrogate College. A team of expert judges will blind taste and judge each dish. No pressure then but as the saying goes ‘If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen!’
Bar Person of the Year
Sponsored by Matthew Clark
Not necessarily needing to be a ‘Tom Cruise in Cocktail’ the winner of this award will however possess a lively outgoing personality that ensures the customer is welcomed and put at ease from the moment they arrive. Having a complete knowledge of bar operations & procedures this person will ‘command’ the bar space they work within, be an industry natural and demonstrate first class customer service skills whatever the pressures.
Team of the Year
Sponsored by Platinum Print
Coming from any business that has anything to do with either business or leisure tourism, the Team of the Year will stand out as being able to deliver the very best of Yorkshire Hospitality and a commitment to deliver service excellence across the whole team. Working for a business that can demonstrate it makes a real difference within Harrogate, this team will show the outside world what makes our town so great!
Harrogate Ambassador
Sponsored by Your Harrogate
Nominees for this award will truly stand out from the crowd. This individual could be from virtually any walk of life, but whatever their job, they will be the epitome of what Harrogate represents in our tourism offering. Going beyond the call of their immediate job description, the Harrogate Ambassador will be someone who strives on a near daily basis to market, promote and represent Harrogate in a wholeheartedly professional manner.
Newcomer of the Year
Sponsored by Harrogate College
Nominees for this award will truly stand out from the crowd. This individual could be from virtually any walk of life, but whatever their job, they will be the epitome of what Harrogate represents in our tourism offering. Going beyond the call of their immediate job description, the Harrogate Ambassador will be someone who strives on a near daily basis to market, promote and represent Harrogate in a wholeheartedly professional manner.
Unsung Hero
Sponsored by Bidfood
Making any guest or visitor experience a special and memorable one usually takes many people in varying positions and organisations to pull together to make it happen; however there are often those who play more than their own part in this and yet receive little or no recognition. Our Unsung Hero award is for just those people!
Outstanding Customer Service
Sponsored by LWC Drinks
The clue to the winner of this award is in the title. This individual will be a shining light within their business, truly giving Outstanding Customer Service. The judges will be looking for good evidence that the winner has delivered a level of customer service that goes above and beyond the norm, motivating those around them. Customers/guests are particularly encouraged to vote for this award and testimonials will of course help the judging process.
Restaurant of the Year
Sponsored by Guinness
Everyone loves great food & drink and when it is served in the surroundings you love, with high standards in all areas by people who care and encourage you to return again and again what can be better?! Nominations accepted from owners, managers, team members and especially customers – tell us why your restaurant of the year is all of the above and more!
Bar of the Year
Sponsored by Timothy Taylors
Yorkshire is famed for its great ale and a fine selection of places to drink it! Whatever your tipple Harrogate is no exception and everyone has their favourite – what’s yours? Tell us why and encourage your colleagues and fellow regulars to do the same. The winner of this award will not only serve great drinks it will have fabulous hospitality, standards and be heralded as the best in class in Harrogate.
Receptionist of the Year
Sponsored by Harrogate Christmas and Gift Show
Often referred to as being ‘On Stage’ we all know excellent first impressions are the key to a great experience and the winner of this award should be exemplar in your business. A keen eye for detail, a professional appearance and the ability to deal efficiently with requests are also important and the judges will be looking for evidence that the nominees are outstanding among their colleagues in these qualities.
Housekeeper of the Year
Sponsored by Beaucare
This award is open to all housekeepers who exemplify first-class cleanliness and hygiene in bedroom preparation in either an independent hotel or group hotel, or front of house in Restaurants and Bars across the town. Their committed approach to the efficient running within the housekeeping team will show they stand out from the crowd and let us know why they deserve to ‘shine’!
Housekeeper of the Year
Sponsored by Beaucare
This award is open to all housekeepers who exemplify first-class cleanliness and hygiene in bedroom preparation in either an independent hotel or group hotel, or front of house in Restaurants and Bars across the town. Their committed approach to the efficient running within the housekeeping team will show they stand out from the crowd and let us know why they deserve to ‘shine’!
Receptionist of the Year
Sponsored by Harrogate Christmas
and Gift Show
Often referred to as being ‘On Stage’ we all know excellent first impressions are the key to a great experience and the winner of this award should be exemplar in your business. A keen eye for detail, a professional appearance and the ability to deal efficiently with requests are also important and the judges will be looking for evidence that the nominees are outstanding among their colleagues in these qualities.
Bar of the Year
Sponsored by Timothy Taylors
Yorkshire is famed for its great ale and a fine selection of places to drink it! Whatever your tipple Harrogate is no exception and everyone has their favourite – what’s yours? Tell us why and encourage your colleagues and fellow regulars to do the same. The winner of this award will not only serve great drinks it will have fabulous hospitality, standards and be heralded as the best in class in Harrogate.
Restaurant of the Year
Sponsored by Guinness
Everyone loves great food & drink and when it is served in the surroundings you love, with high standards in all areas by people who care and encourage you to return again and again what can be better?! Nominations accepted from owners, managers, team members and especially customers – tell us why your restaurant of the year is all of the above and more!
Outstanding Customer Service
Sponsored by Slingsby
The clue to the winner of this award is in the title. This individual will be a shining light within their business, truly giving Outstanding Customer Service. The judges will be looking for good evidence that the winner has delivered a level of customer service that goes above and beyond the norm, motivating those around them. Customers/guests are particularly encouraged to vote for this award and testimonials will of course help the judging process.
Unsung Hero
Sponsored by Bidfood
Making any guest or visitor experience a special and memorable one usually takes many people in varying positions and organisations to pull together to make it happen; however there are often those who play more than their own part in this and yet receive little or no recognition. Our Unsung Hero award is for just those people!
Newcomer of the Year
Sponsored by Harrogate College
This award can be won either by an individual who has stood out and shone in their first year of employment within the Hospitality, Catering or Tourism industry, or equally, nominations are welcome for businesses that have opened within the last two years and have proved to make an immediate impact on Harrogate’s offering to the business and/or leisure visitor.
Harrogate Ambassador
Sponsored by Your Harrogate
Nominees for this award will truly stand out from the crowd. This individual could be from virtually any walk of life, but whatever their job, they will be the epitome of what Harrogate represents in our tourism offering. Going beyond the call of their immediate job description, the Harrogate Ambassador will be someone who strives on a near daily basis to market, promote and represent Harrogate in a wholeheartedly professional manner.
Team of the Year
Sponsored by Platinum Print
Coming from any business that has anything to do with either business or leisure tourism, the Team of the Year will stand out as being able to deliver the very best of Yorkshire Hospitality and a commitment to deliver service excellence across the whole team. Working for a business that can demonstrate it makes a real difference within Harrogate, this team will show the outside world what makes our town so great!
Chef of the Year
Sponsored by Sykes House Farm
Not only will the winning individual of this prestigious award have to demonstrate passion, flare, and creativity; be showcasing local produce and have a great reputation for food – the Chefs who reach the shortlist for this award will now have to raise the bar even higher! Once nominations have closed the judges will contact the shortlisted chefs and request a recipe and costing for a signature dish prior to visiting the nominees restaurant and tasting their creation before deciding the winning Chef – no pressure then but as the saying goes ‘If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen!’
Bar Person of the Year
Sponsored by Matthew Clark
Not necessarily needing to be a ‘Tom Cruise in Cocktail’ the winner of this award will however possess a lively outgoing personality that ensures the customer is welcomed and put at ease from the moment they arrive. Having a complete knowledge of bar operations & procedures this person will ‘command’ the bar space they work within, be an industry natural and demonstrate first class customer service skills whatever the pressures.
Waiter / Waitress of the Year
Sponsored by Harrogate Spring Water
Nominees for this award will have demonstrated an unrivaled level of customer service within the business that they work. Someone who has consistently proved they are at the top of their game and has become a firm favourite of customers both old and new. The winner will work in a restaurant, hotel or similar food service operation and will ooze charm, character, personality and professionalism.
For more information and to book tickets: If you would like to come and support those shortlisted, tickets are available by email at Lyndsey.gibbs@hotmail.co.uk at £89 per person. Demand for tickets is already very high and usually sell out weeks before the main night so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Press release: Embargoed until 8am Thursday 16th April 2026
Shortlist announced for Hospitality and Tourism Awards
Organisers have announced the shortlist for the twelve categories in the Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Awards which will be presented at a spectacular gala dinner taking place at the Royal Hall on Monday 1st June 2026.
Nominations flooded in once more this year as these special awards continue to create excitement and interest and category sponsors and judges once again had to deliberate long & hard over some very tough decisions because of the excellent quality of the nominations with over 1000 individual nominations received in total again this year.
Now in it’s eighteenth year the awards are organised and hosted by Simon Cotton on behalf of Harrogate Hospitality & Tourism Association, the association of the leading hotels of the town. Simon said “Once again it has been fantastic this year to see so many entries and also new business getting involved and the interest from the wider Harrogate District rather than just the town centre venues has also been so good to see and clearly demonstrates how much these awards mean to people and local businesses. It is clear from the number of entries we received that these awards still truly capture the imagination of those working in, or affected by hospitality and tourism, and shows what a major industry it is for the town. Harrogate relies heavily on both business and leisure tourism and everyone involved in the chain of visitor service delivery play their part in continuing to deliver the excellent standards of service and hospitality associated with Harrogate.”
Simon Cotton added, “The judges were once again impressed by the level and quality of entries this year and as has come the case over the years, there were a number of categories where it was really hard to have to leave out some really fantastic entries and I only hope that those who haven’t made it this year to the short list will try again next year. To ensure we had the best candidates shortlisted several sponsors have been out visiting venues and some will be visiting nominees at their place of work and spend some time to see them in action and talk to them about their jobs; although some of the judges have decided to go undercover and visit some of the venues as mystery guests too. Over 200 tickets have already been snapped up for the big night and on Monday 1st June so it is inevitable that we will once again sell out the night in a matter of days now”.
If you would like to come and support those shortlisted, tickets are available by email at Lyndsey.gibbs@hotmail.co.uk at £89 per person. Demand for tickets is already very high and usually sell out within 2 weeks of the shortlist being announced so please book early to avoid disappointment.
The judging panel’s shortlists for each category are:
Waiter/Waitress of the Year – sponsored by Harrogate Spring Water
Becky Colley – Drum & Monkey
Giselle Kwok – The Crown Hotel
Jasmin Davey – Drunken Piglet
Vivien Kovacs – The Blue Bell at Arkendale
Bar Person of the Year – sponsored by Matthew Clark
Brad Anderson – Starling Bar
Fiona Worthington – Tap On The Tutt
Josh Henderson – Six Poor Folk
Kyah Dent – Fox and Hounds
Szabi Kucsera – Hidden Lounge & Bar
Chef of the Year – sponsored by Sykes House Farm
Alex Nunez – La Feria Restaurant
Iain Wilkinson – Storehouse Kitchen
Jamie Cann – The Timble Inn
Terry Davies – West Park Hotel
Team of the Year – sponsored by Platinum
Bluebell at Arkendale
Commercial Team – Majestic Hotel
Mucky Duck
Yolk Farm
Newcomer of the Year – sponsored by Harrogate College
Drunken Piglet
Esme’s Coffee House & Kitchen
Jonny’s Bar
Kitchen & Koffee
Ake & Humphris Wine Bar
Unsung Hero – sponsored by Bidfood
Darrell Broadbent – Henshaws
Imogen Ward – Esme Coffee House
Matthew Harper – Bidfood
Paul Spedding – Six Poor Folk
Outstanding Customer Service – sponsored by LWC Drinks
Beth Sinclair – Rhubarb
Gabriel Sosa – Divino’s
Ian Pilcher – Mama Doreens
Rosie Nichols – Fodder
Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Guiness
Cattlemans
Drum & Monkey
Fifty Two
Illam
Konak Meze
Bar of the Year – sponsored by Timothy Taylor’s
Hidden Lounge
Mucky Duck
Tap on Tutt
Threes A Crowd
Six Poor Folk
Receptionist of the Year – sponsored by Harrogate Christmas & Gift
Clare Rawling – Pavilions of Harrogate
Deborah Ferreira – Divino Restaurant
Gauri Menon – Majestic Hotel
Purvi Mahida – West Park Hotel
Housekeeper of the Year – sponsored by Beaucare
Anna Parry – Hotel du Vin
Julie Wells – Yorkshire Hotel
Justyna Janic – Crown Hotel
Tanya Abdul Khalib – Swinton Estate
Harrogate Ambassador - sponsored by Your Harrogate
The winner of this special Award is to be announced on the night.
Editor’s Note: For more information please contact Simon Cotton on simon@hrhgroup.co.uk or 07702 548937.
.