- Castle awarded VisitEngland Welcome accolade following quality accreditation
- Award rating reflects the hard work of staff, volunteers and castle improvements
- Castle staff achieve category top scores of 100%
Tamworth Castle has officially been awarded the Welcome accolade, a quality assessment by a VisitEngland scheme, for its exceptional customer care skills.
The castle was proud to announce back in June that they were awarded the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service accreditation. The castle was then further nominated for a VisitEngland Welcome accolade for its outstanding staff knowledge and enthusiasm and is delighted to confirm they have been successful.
This assessment visit coincided with the D-Day Anniversary Event, which took place in June. This event brought history to life; with children participating in the trail and receiving a chocolate reward at the end. The event added value to the visit, as such scores have increased the Attraction section of the assessment from 90% to 95%.
The most notable score was 100% in the staff category. The assessor commented: “The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, providing excellent customer service. They are happy to help with product recommendations and questions about the castle's history or the items for sale. Their enthusiasm adds to the overall positive experience.”
Volunteers were also highly praised in the report with comments: “All volunteers greeted visitors with warm smiles and were eager to share their extensive knowledge about the castle and its historical context. Their enthusiasm was contagious, making the exploration of the castle and exhibits even more enjoyable.”
VisitEngland offer a range of quality schemes for tourism businesses in England. Attractions including art galleries, historic houses and buildings, are independently visited by an experienced assessor and offered support and guidance to improve their visitor experience.
Visitor Accolades for 2024-2025 were awarded to 72 English attractions covering all aspects of what makes an outstanding visitor experience. The five categories include: ‘Welcome’; ‘Quality Food and Drink’; ‘Hidden Gem’; ‘Best Told Story’; and ‘Gold’ for overall excellence.
The accolades were awarded based on scores that attractions obtained following their annual VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme assessment.
Participating attractions are supported by a network of highly trained and experienced assessors who advise them on improving and promoting the quality, accessibility and sustainability of their offer. Winning attractions can display the accolade logo at their attraction, online and in their marketing materials.
The VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Accolades were presented at a celebratory lunch at the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire.
See the full list of attractions to receive VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Accolades go to: https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/get-quality-assessed#visit….
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “These accolades highlight the wonderful visitor experiences provided by English attractions, from the warmest of welcomes to amazing food and drink, from great storytelling to outstanding customer service.
“Our tourism businesses are the bedrock of our industry, and it is wonderful to highlight and celebrate the fantastic service and experiences they give visitors, time-after-time. From museums, gardens and nature reserves to farm attractions, estates and theme parks, these attractions go out of their way to make visits memorable.”
Councillor Lewis Smith, portfolio holder for people services, leisure and engagement, said:” We’re proud to say that we have a high accreditation from VisitEngland, along with the additional Welcome accolade. It is a well-deserved recognition of its value, importance and hard work of the staff and volunteers.
“The excellent interactions that visitors have at the castle and the positive feedback we receive, continues to demonstrate that the castle is all about the people – our visitors, staff and volunteers.
“Receiving the Welcome accolade, will boost the profile of Tamworth further and hopefully attract even more visitors far and wide.”
You can book your tickets now online via: www.tamworthcastle.co.uk.
Notes:
To find out more about the VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme see here: https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/get-quality-assessed.