Ness scoops green tourism award

John Brown (retail assistant), Angela Jay (presenter Heart Radio), Kevin Reid (Director), Amy Jones (Visitor reception assistant), Christine Gaskell (Sponsor and Chair of the Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Programme), Jenny Brown, (retail assistant)

Ness Botanic Gardens has won the Sustainable Tourism Award 2013 at the annual Marketing Cheshire awards, which recognises the exceptional work delivered by the businesses and professionals who work in the local tourism and hospitality industry.

Announced at an awards ceremony at Tatton Park attended by over 350 guests, the award celebrates excellent sustainable practice at Ness, particularly the continuous improvements made in striving to reduce their carbon footprint.

They were applauded for the installation of over 200 solar panels demonstrating their commitment to green energy and also recognised for their lead role in setting up the CH64 transport group, which has successfully campaigned for the retention of vital local bus services within the community in the face of local government funding cuts.

Kevin Reid, Director, said: "We are delighted to receive the award and see it as an important acknowledgement of our ongoing focus on sustainable practice. Maintaining bus service access to Ness from Liverpool City centre has been an important development for us as it ensures that staff, students and other visitors can continue to enjoy the gardens."

Ness will now go forward to the next stage which is the nominations for the Visit England national finals.