A LOCAL enterprise has been short listed in the VisitEngland’s tourism awards for excellence.

The Awards have been championing the best in England’s tourism industry for more than 35 years and celebrate quality, innovation, best practice and exceptional customer service.

Finalists represent the very highest standards across accessibility, accommodation, attractions, experiences, food and drink, and business events, showcasing the strength and diversity of English tourism.

And among the finalists in the Experience of the Year category is Oldfield Forge Ltd, which offers Blacksmithing Experience Days at Old Field Farm, Garway Hill. It is a family run blacksmithing company combining traditional blacksmithing techniques and craftsmanship with modern technology to produce the finest quality bespoke ironmongery.

VisitEngland director Andrew Stokes said: “These awards honour the very best businesses and individuals in tourism, who are the driving force in an industry that delivers growth to local economies across England.”

The 53 finalists, selected following a rigorous judging process by handpicked tourism industry experts, will now go on to compete in 16 core categories at this year’s awards. There will also be three special awards, including the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award’, the ‘Travel Content Award’ and the ‘Tourism Superstar Award’.

This VisitEngland Awards for Excellence worked in collaboration with 21 local competitions, including Visit Herefordshire, with 369 winners automatically put forward for national recognition.

Tourism is one of England’s largest, most valuable industries - supporting hundreds of thousands of small-to-medium sized businesses, more than two million jobs and worth £127 billion to the economy in England.

Other Herefordshire finalist include: Kaya at Blackhill Farm Ltd, Craswall in the camping, glamping and holiday park of the year category; The One Acre Wood at Bishops Frome is a finalist in the new tourism business of the year category and Carriages Restaurant, at Whitestone Business Park in Hereford is a finalist in the Taste of England Award.