A husband-and-wife team from Kirkby Stephen are celebrating after England’s tourist board named them as one of the country’s top accommodation providers.
Pennine View Park, owned by Rachael and Ian Gowing, joins an elite of 100 businesses to have received this year’s ROSE award for 'exceptionally high quality standards'.
The couple were presented with their accolade by Lady Victoria Borwick, chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board, at a special winners ceremony this autumn in Newbury, Berkshire.
Rachael, a former Red Bull events organiser, decided in 2017 to realise her passion for running a local leisure business with her husband Ian who subsequently left his job in construction to join her.
They acquired Pennine View Park, sited on a former railway yard just outside Kirkby Steven, and set about investing time and energy into creating first-class holiday surroundings.
Their reward has been to see a top five-star grading from VisitEngland, and a shortlisting by Cumbria Tourism in 2024 for Holiday Park of the Year award.
Pennine View has also received awards for its care of wildlife and the natural world, and seen a year-on-year increase in visitors from the UK and overseas.
The park provides 80 pitches for campers and the owners of motorhomes and touring caravans – plus, more recently added, timber glamping pods.
The couple have also opened a family bar called The Engine Shed, converted from an old railway goods shed and retaining many of its original architectural features.
Popular with both park guests and local residents, it provides outside seating, street-food inspired menus which change regularly, and live music nights plus other events.
Now Pennine View joins the 100 businesses, ranging from hotels to cottage providers, judged by VisitEngland inspectors to be right at the top of their game.
The ROSE award – standing for Recognition Of Service Excellence – highlights their winners’ commitment to providing an “exceptional and magical” experience for guests.
“We feel both proud and humbled to have been selected for this prestigious recognition from VisitEngland,” said Rachael, who was brought up in Kirkby Stephen.
“What makes it extra special is that assessors look not just at the quality of the park’s facilities, but also at the friendliness, hospitality and warmth of welcome extended to visitors.
“Delivering this is very much in the hands of our park team, so they must take a big share of the credit for ensuring that guests always enjoy the best possible experience.
“We are already receiving bookings for next year, and are delighted that the majority of our guests are either repeat visitors or coming as the result of a personal recommendation,” she added.
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