A WIRRAL pub and music venue were recognised at the Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards.

The awards, which took place at the Liverpool Cathedral last night (Thursday, February 29) recognise excellence across the city region’s tourism and hospitality industry.

The annual awards are delivered by Growth Platform – Liverpool City Region Growth Company.

In Wirral, The Red Fox pub in Thornton Hough scooped Pub of the Year while Birkenhead music venue Future Yard was highly commended for Entertainment Venue of the Year.

Councillor Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Business said: “The Tourism Awards enable us to celebrate and showcase what the city region has to offer across the visitor economy.

“To see so many entries not only shows how prestigious these awards are but also the amount of healthy competition we have – which continues to push tourism standards up. As a growth sector this brings both economic benefits and increases the city region’s reputation.

“Huge congratulations to all the winners as well as the shortlisted businesses and individuals.”

Triple winner on the night was Shakespeare North Playhouse, taking home the accolades for New Tourism Business of the Year, Unsung Hero and Tourism Young Person of the Year.

The special Eurovision Experience of the Year award went to the Invisible Wind Factory for their Aquatopia – The Blue and Yellow Submarine Parade - which kicked off the Eurovision celebrations last May.

The ‘Liverpool City Region Hidden Gem’ award – the only category voted for by the public, recognising the region’s best kept secret, went to The Bus Yard - two converted double decker buses operating in Crosby Marina and Liverpool ONE.

Other winners on the night included The Art School for Restaurant of the Year, Strawberry Field for Small Visitor Attraction of the Year and the Hotel of the Year went to Hope Street Hotel.

The Outstanding Contribution to Tourism award went to Chris Brown – for over 35 years tourism experience in the city and who actively led the city’s marketing activity for Eurovision as Director of Marketing Liverpool and now a trustee at Shakespeare North Playhouse.