Longbow Venues Celebrates Seven Tourism Awards Finalist Places as Three Peak District Venues Recognised Among Derbyshire's Best
The Ashford Arms, The George Hathersage and The Peacock at Rowsley have secured seven finalist places across five categories in the prestigious 2027 Visit East Midlands Tourism Awards - Derbyshire.
Independent Peak District hospitality group Longbow Venues is celebrating a remarkable seven finalist places in the 2027 Visit East Midlands Tourism Awards - Derbyshire, with three of its historic pubs and hotels recognised among the region's finest.
The Ashford Arms in Ashford-in-the-Water, The George at Hathersage and The Peacock at Rowsley have collectively secured nominations across five categories, recognising excellence in accommodation, dining, pub hospitality and teamwork.
The Peacock at Rowsley leads the group's nominations with three finalist places, having been shortlisted for Hotel of the Year, Taste of Derbyshire - Restaurant and Team of the Year.
Meanwhile, The Ashford Arms and The George Hathersage have each secured two nominations, with both venues competing for B&B and Guest House of the Year and Pub of the Year.
The awards, organised by Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby, celebrate the very best of the region's £3.58 billion visitor economy, recognising businesses delivering outstanding experiences for visitors and supporting the continued growth of tourism across Derbyshire.
For Longbow Venues Managing Director Rob Hattersley, the seven nominations represent a significant achievement for the independent hospitality group, which he founded in 2019.
"Seven finalist places across three of our venues is absolutely incredible, and I couldn't be prouder of our teams," said Rob.
"What makes this particularly special is the breadth of the recognition. We've been shortlisted for everything from the quality of our accommodation and food to the experience we provide in our pubs and, perhaps most importantly, the people who make it all happen.
"We've always believed that great hospitality comes down to getting the fundamentals right. That means investing in beautiful venues, serving exceptional food made with fantastic local ingredients and creating an environment where our people feel valued and supported.
"To see three of our venues recognised in this way, alongside some of the very best hospitality businesses in Derbyshire, means an enormous amount."
The Ashford Arms, which reopened in March 2024 following an extensive £1.6 million refurbishment, has quickly established itself as a popular destination for both local diners and visitors to the Peak District. Its two nominations recognise the venue's combination of traditional pub hospitality, quality food and boutique accommodation.
The George Hathersage, a historic coaching inn once frequented by Charlotte Brontë, has also secured two finalist places. The venue combines its rich heritage with contemporary accommodation, seasonal dining and a welcoming village pub atmosphere.
The Peacock at Rowsley, meanwhile, has received recognition across three distinct areas of its operation. Its nominations for Hotel of the Year and Taste of Derbyshire - Restaurant reflect the quality of its luxury accommodation and dining experience, while the Team of the Year nomination celebrates the people responsible for delivering that experience.
Rob added:
"I think it's quite funny that The Ashford Arms and The George are actually competing against each other in two categories! There's certainly going to be some friendly rivalry between the teams over the coming months.
"But whatever happens on the night, every single one of them should feel very proud. These awards recognise the hard work, dedication and care that our teams put into looking after guests every day.
"The Team of the Year nomination for The Peacock is especially pleasing. Our philosophy has always been 'people over profits', and seeing our people recognised alongside the quality of our venues is something we're particularly proud of."
Founded just seven years ago, Longbow Venues has grown into a collection of six distinctive hospitality destinations across the Peak District and surrounding area: The Maynard in Grindleford, The George at Hathersage, The Ashford Arms in Ashford-in-the-Water, The Peacock at Rowsley, The Peacock at Owler Bar and The Charleston in Bakewell.
The independent group has developed a reputation for restoring and revitalising historic hospitality properties, combining character and heritage with high-quality food, locally sourced produce and a strong commitment to staff development.
The Visit East Midlands Tourism Awards bring together the established Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire tourism awards under a shared regional programme. Finalists will now undergo further independent judging, including mystery visits, before the winners are announced at a ceremony at Crowne Plaza Nottingham on 10th March 2027.
Gold winners in eligible categories will have the opportunity to progress to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
"Derbyshire has an extraordinary hospitality industry, and we're very fortunate to operate in such a beautiful part of the country," Rob concluded.
"We want to play our part in making the Peak District somewhere people return to time and again, whether that's for a special meal, a weekend away or simply a drink in their local pub.
"Seven nominations is a wonderful endorsement of what our teams are achieving, and we'll certainly be celebrating together, whatever the results in March."
Notes to editors
About Longbow Venues
Founded in 2019 by Managing Director Rob Hattersley, Longbow Venues is an independent hospitality group based in the Peak District, operating six distinctive pubs, restaurants and hotels:
The Maynard, Grindleford
The George, Hathersage
The Ashford Arms, Ashford-in-the-Water
The Peacock at Rowsley
The Peacock at Owler Bar
The Charleston, Bakewell
Longbow Venues is committed to its 'people over profits' philosophy, investing in its teams, supporting local suppliers and delivering outstanding hospitality experiences.
The group has previously been recognised in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work Awards, the Generation Next Awards and the national Publican Awards.
About the Visit East Midlands Tourism Awards
The Visit East Midlands Tourism Awards recognise excellence across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire's visitor economies. The Derbyshire awards are delivered by Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby, the region's VisitEngland-accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnership.
The 2027 ceremony takes place on 10th March 2027 at Crowne Plaza Nottingham.
For further information please contact Jennifer Bell via jen@featherandfernpr.co.uk.
Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.
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