Lappa Valley near St Newlyn East was awarded silver in the Large Visitor Attraction category of the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in Exeter – whilst one of its team was also recognised with a special award.
Considered the “Oscars” of the South West tourism world, the awards saw dozens of tourism, hospitality and accommodation businesses from the area competing for the accolades. All the finalists were winners in their respective local awards, with Lappa Valley scooping gold in the Cornwall Awards in November.
Keith Southwell, Lappa Valley’s owner said: “We are chuffed to have been recognised as one of the top days out in the South West, especially when we’re surrounded by so many other great attractions in the area.
Dozens of tourism and hospitality businesses entered the awards, where industry experts judged them on a number of key aspects including an undercover visit. Lappa scored very highly on all aspects, with the judges noting the warm welcome, well-maintained facilities and very friendly and helpful staff.
Lappa Valley is one of the most unique family attractions in the area, with families parking up and catching a narrow-guage train which takes them through the Cornish countryside to a secret world featuring two further railways and indoor and outdoor activities.
Keith continued: “Lappa Valley celebrates it’s 50th birthday this year, and this really is the icing on the cake. We continue to invest a lot of time, money and effort into offering a day out which encourages families to have fun and make memories together.
“None of this would be possible without our Lappa family – the committed team who really pour their hearts into Lappa Valley, especially our Operations Manager Ben Harding.
“It’s great to have the opportunity to represent and positively promote the diverse and vibrant tourism industry here in Cornwall.”
Alongside this award, Lappa Valley train driver Ben Patrick was also named one of the year’s unsung heroes, using his experience as a young full-time carer for his father to help visitors with disabilities and additional needs feel more comfortable, as well as encouraging young train fans.
Keith said: “Ben is a much-valued member of our team, and we are extremely proud of this award which is very well deserved. We feel privileged to be a part of his development, and we are grateful to him for the hard work he puts in to ensuring all our visitors have a good time with us.”
Open year-round, Lappa Valley commences it’s seven-day opening from Thursday 28thMarch, with a range of new activities on offer for 2024. You can find out more at LappaValley.co.uk.
