The finalists have been announced for the New Tourism Business of the Year award, sponsored by Swiss Camplings, at the East of England Tourism Awards 2022-2023.
This award recognises high-performing new tourism businesses, demonstrating excellent understanding of their market, exceeding the expectations of their customers with clear plans for future development.
Here are the finalists for this year's award.
Buoyancy Bikes
Based at Bridge Broad Marina in Wroxham, Norfolk, Buoyancy Bikes is a family-run business offering a unique way to experience the Norfolk Broads via its 10 Buoyancy Bikes, two pedalos and six paddleboards.
The business started life in April 2021 as a project for husband and wife Simon and Laura Calver to focus on after their children had all began school.
Though they originally anticipated their target market to be those between 20 and 40 years old, the team soon found that the range of visitors at the site was much broader and the different types of watercrafts on offer enable all ages to enjoy the broads.
Buoyancy Bikes has since catered for couples, families, hen and stag parties and holidaymakers, as well as team building events and even school trips. The team is passionate about providing a high level of customer service and has received plenty of positive feedback since opening.
The judges were “very impressed” with the owners’ determination in launching and operating Buoyancy Bikes.
They said that the business offers “a great, fun and easy way to enable people to enjoy the Broads” and said that it is a “wonderful addition to the ‘marine product’ at Wroxham”.
BugzUK
BugzUK is a unique new visitor attraction in Lenwade, Norfolk, offering locals and tourists alike the chance to visit an all-invertebrate zoo and see over 200 different species of minibeasts, from leaf-cutting ants to scorpions that glow under UV lights, a butterfly and shell museum and more.
The business also hosts animal handling sessions, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with some of the creatures, and has a gift shop, outside play area and butterfly-themed cafe on site.
Groundwork at BugzUK began just two weeks before the pandemic started, resulting in a two-year build which was fraught with problems. It was finally able to open fully in May 2022.
BugzUK has plans to expand over the coming years, incorporating a butterfly walkthrough experience, two wildlife ponds and a dipping pond as well as an acre of planted bee and butterfly gardens.
The judges noted the uniqueness of BugzUK, commenting that “this is a very quirky and different new visitor attraction for Norfolk”.
They said that the number of visitors to the attraction in its first year “demonstrates the growth potential for this attraction” and its early popularity, as evidenced by its positive reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Thorington Theatre
Thorington Theatre is a new open-air venue which has been built in a Second World War bomb crater in a woodland near Saxmundham, Suffolk.
Situated on Stonehouse Farm, a regenerative organic nut farm, the 350-seat wooden amphitheatre was constructed with the smallest possible carbon footprint and aims to be as sustainable as possible.
Construction on the theatre began during lockdown and utilised sustainably coppiced chestnut trees from the immediate woodland. The natural bowl-shaped crater it was constructed in ensured that no excavation work was required and many trees have been left in situ amongst the seating, too.
Since opening in May 2021 with a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by a local youth theatre group, Thorington has welcomed a variety of theatre troupes, actors, comedians and musicians.
It is open from June to August and offered 61 shows and entertained 11,250 visitors in the summer of 2022.
Praising the theatre’s “remarkable story”, the judges said that Thorington is adding “considerable value” to the cultural tourism offering in the region.
They praised the sustainability of the theatre and the “non-negotiable emphasis the founders place on the smallest possible carbon footprint”.
The judges were also pleased with “the great variety of shows on offer”.
The winners of the East of England Tourism Awards 2022-2023 will be announced at a black-tie event held at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall Hotel, Ipswich, Suffolk on Thursday, March 16.
To view the full East of England Tourism Awards 2022-2023 finalists supplement, please click here.
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