The countdown is on ahead of Red Funnel’s annual Isle of Wight Awards, with just a week to go before this year’s winners are announced. The cross-Solent operator will be hosting a colourful awards ceremony at Northwood House in Cowes next Thursday (9th November) with award finalists, judges, and other special guests in attendance. The Awards received incredible local support this year, with nearly 60,000 votes cast by Island visitors and local residents. Voters selected their top three businesses across 20 different categories, split into 4 main groups:
- Accommodation
- Food & Drink
- Things to Do
- and ’Other’
Awards such as ‘Best Hotel Experience’, ‘Best Restaurant’, ‘Best Activity Provider’ and ‘Best Place for Dogs’ will be featured, to name a few. This year, a total of 21 Island businesses have made the top 3 in their category for the very first time, highlighting the continued range of new and diverse businesses, events and activities that help make the Isle of Wight a year-round attraction for tourists and day-trippers alike. The top three finalists in each category will be recognised with a gold, silver, or bronze award. Commenting on the awards, Fran Collins, CEO of Red Funnel, said:
“We want to thank all the Island residents who voted in huge numbers, as well as those businesses who work hard to make the Isle of Wight such an amazing place to visit. The Island has so many incredible places to eat, stay and spend a great day out, and we very much look forward to celebrating the winners and nominees on the 9th of November.”
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Some notable first-time nominees at this year’s Awards include The Isle of Wight Walking Festival (Best Island Event), The Isle of Wight Ghost Experience (Best Small Attraction), and Grace’s Bakery (Best Island Produce). The winners will be chosen by a panel of 4 judges representing Island organisations including Visit Isle of Wight, Michael Dangerfield from Isle of Wight.com, Donna Gudowski of Red Funnel and Karen Eeles from Aspire, Red Funnel’s Charity of the Year. To find out more about the Red Funnel Isle of Wight Awards, including a full list of awards categories and a roundup of last year’s winners, visit https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/en/isle-of-wight-guide/awards/.
