The owner of travel operator The Mountain Goat has walked away with the top honour at the Cumbria Tourism Awards 2019.

Stephen Broughton won the Bernard Gooch Tourism Personality of the Year Award at the glittering ceremony attended by almost 400 people at Cartmel Racecourse on Wednesday night.

Mr Broughton has been involved in the Windermere headquartered business since the 1990s, before buying it with fellow investors Sir Norman Stoller CBE and Peter Nattrass and becoming managing director.

The company – which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022 – operates across the Lake District and last year expanded into North Wales and Yorkshire.

Mr Broughton – who also owns the Lindeth Howe hotel with Sir Norman, the former home of Beatrix Potter – was recognised for his impact as both a businessman and in his strategic work with Cumbria Tourism, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and the Japan Forum.

Elsewhere, businesses from across the county battled across 15 categories.

The winners were:

Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award - Sponsored by Expedia
Lake District Calvert Trust, Keswick (with Treetop Trek, Windermere, highly commended)

Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year - Sponsored by Natwest Commercial Banking
Castlerigg Hall Caravan, Camping and Glamping Park, Keswick 

Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award Sponsored by University of Cumbria 
The Quiet Site, Ullswater

B&B & Guest House of the Year - Sponsored by Lamont Pridmore
Haven Cottage, Ambleside 

Experience of the Year Award - Sponsored by Carlisle Lake District Airport
CBA Events @ Graythwaite 

Large Hotel of the Year – Sponsored by Christie & Co.
Another Place, The Lake, Ullswater 

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year - Sponsored by H&H Reeds
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway 

New Tourism Business Award - Sponsored by Thomson Hayton Winkley
The Black Bull, Sedbergh (with 1692 Wasdale, Gosforth , highly commended)

Makers & Producers Award 
Grasmere Gingerbread®, Grasmere 

Pub of the Year  
The Black Swan, Ravenstonedale 

Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year - Sponsored by Out of Eden
The Lingholm Estate, Portinscale 

Small Hotel of the Year - Sponsored by Colliers International
The Regent Hotel, Ambleside 

Taste of Cumbria Award - Sponsored by The Cumberland for Business
1863 Restaurant and Rooms, Pooley Bridge

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year – Sponsored by Northern
Wordsworth House and Garden, Cockermouth 

Wedding Venue of the Year 
Cragwood Country House Hotel, Windermere 

The Sheila Hensman Award for Outstanding Contribution to Excellence
Jake Winter, Lyzzick Hall Hotel, Keswick 

Many of the winners now also have the opportunity represent the county nationally at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in 2020.

Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism managing director, Gill Haigh said: “With a record-breaking number of entries, competition for this year’s Cumbria Tourism Awards has been immense and the quality utterly jaw dropping.  

“Our thriving tourism businesses have again showed the sheer range, quality and innovation on offer in the county and this event reinforces the hard work and dedication shown by tourism businesses who deliver world class experiences to millions of visitors day in, day out. We should be tremendously proud of not only our award-winners, but of all of the finalists.”

The awards were held in association with United Utilities and hosted by comedian, writer and musician Mike Wilkinson.