Businesses from the Falmouth and Helston areas are among many from across the county who have been celebrating their success in this year’s Cornwall Tourism Awards.

Now in their 16th year, the awards saw 180 entries entering 26 different categories. The awards evening was attended by Olympic gold medalist and record holder Helen Glover, who ran, swam, played tennis and hockey for Cornwall before becoming two time Olympic rowing champion.

Among the top winners of the night were Mylor Sailing School who took gold for Access and Inclusivity; the Pandora Inn, who won gold as Tourism Pub of the Year; and Mullion Cove Luxury Harbour Apartments, who also struck gold as self catering holiday provider of the year.

“We are absolutely delighted,” said Steve Bellman who, with John Milan, has been at the helm of the Pandora Inn since 1999. “After two years of coming away with bronze awards we are thrilled to return to the gold position. With the awards in their 16th year we are very proud that in every year that the Pandora has participated we have picked up an award – totalling six gold and four bronze.

“This is our seventh consecutive award and this is a terrific achievement for the team here at the Pandora as it shows how consistently high our standards are in all areas – food, drink, service and, most importantly, attracting tourists to Cornwall. No other pub in Cornwall can claim that record. The team, led by managers Catherine and Lester Croft, should be very proud of what they have achieved.”

Silver awards went to Mullion Cove Hotel in the dog friendly business category, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth in the artistic, cultural and learning experience class for its British Tattoo Art Revealed Exhibition, and Cornwall Plus for the Glasney rooms and flats on the Penryn Campus in the international visitor experience of the year category.

Bronze awards also went to Amelies in Porthleven for restaurant/bistro of the year class and Porthleven Food and

Music Festival in the Tourism event/festival of the year category.

Awards organiser Robin Barker said: “These awards are not about being good. They are about excellence in what is one of the world’s largest, fastest growing and most innovative industries. To be a winner, in a destination with the standing of Cornwall, is something winners should take great pride in.”

Successful businesses in the Cornwall awards will be fast tracked into matching categories in the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in February and possibly invited to represent Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the 2018 National VisitEngland Awards.

Award winners.

Access and inclusivity award: gold, Mylor Sailing School; silver, Screech Owl Sanctuary, St Columb; bronze, Mother Ivey's Bay Holiday Park, Padstow.

Active & sporting experience: gold, Lanhydrock, National Trust - outdoor offer, Bodmin; silver, Newquay Activity Centre and Scilly Seal Snorkelling, Isles of Scilly.

Artistic, cultural & learning experience: gold, Rick Stein's Cookery School, Padstow; silver, National Maritime Museum Cornwall - British Tattoo Art Revealed Exhibition; bronze, Penlee House Gallery & Museum - Stanhope Forbes Exhibition, Penzance.

Bed and breakfast of the year: gold, Wadebridge Bed and Breakfast; silver, Lower Barns Boutique B&B, St Ewe. Café/tearoom of the year: gold, Boscastle Farm Shop & Cafe; silver, Talland Bay Beach Cafe, Looe; bronze, the Cornish Pantry at Cornwall Gold, Redruth, and the Thirstea Co, Portscatho.

Camping and caravanning park of the year: gold, Polmanter Touring Park, St Ives; silver, Dolbeare Park, Saltash; bronze, Trevalgan Touring Park, St Ives.

Dog friendly business of the year: gold, Old Lanwarnick Cottages, Liskeard; silver, Mullion Cove Hotel; bronze,

Karma St Martin's, Isles of Scilly.

Glamping & alternative accommodation: gold, Safari Cornwall, Bodmin; silver, Boswarthen Farm, Penzance and East Thorne Yurts and Cottages, Bude.

Guided tour: gold, Adventure Segway, Torpoint; silver, Encounter Cornwall, Fowey; bronze, Koru Kayaking, St Agnes.

Holiday park of the year: gold, Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath; silver, Pentewan Sands Holiday Park; bronze,The Park, Mawgan Porth.

International visitor experience of the year: gold, Select South West Tours; silver, Cornwall Plus - Glasney Rooms & Flats, Penryn; Pentewan Sands Holiday Park.

Large hotel of the year: gold, Carbis Bay Hotel, Spa and Estate, St Ives; silver, The Headland Hotel & Spa, Newquay; bronze, The Alverton Hotel, Truro.

Large attraction of the year: gold, Tintagel Castle; silver, The Minack Theatre, Penzance; bronze, Camel Creek Adventure Park, Wadebridge.

Outstanding customer service: gold, The front of house team at The Headland Hotel & Spa, Newquay.

Restaurant/bistro of the year: gold, The Fish House, Newquay; silver, The Star Castle Restaurant, Isles of Scilly; bronze, Amelies, Porthleven.

Self catering holiday provider of the year: gold, Mullion Cove Luxury Harbour Apartments; silver, the Headland Cottages, Newquay; bronze, Bosinver Farm Cottages, St Austell.

Self catering property of the year: gold, Old Barn Tregonetha, St Columb; silver, Lower Marsh Farm, Saltash.

Small attraction of the year: gold, Screech Owl Sanctuary, St Columb; silver, Lappa Valley Steam Railway, St Newlyn East; bronze, St Austell Brewery, St Austell.

Small/boutique hotel of the year: gold, Hell Bay Hotel, Isles of Scilly; silver, Mullion Cove Hotel; bronze, Talland Bay Hotel, Looe.

Spa and wellbeing experience of the year: gold, C Bay Spa, St Ives; silver, The Headland Hotel & Spa, Newquay; bronze, Bosinver Farm Cottages, St Austell.

Sustainable tourism award: gold, Wild Futures, The Monkey Sanctuary, Looe; silver, Old Barn Tregonetha, St Columb and the e Olde House - Farm Cottages, Wadebridge.

Tourism event/festival of the year: gold, Looe Music Festival; silver, Islands' Regatta, Isles of Scilly; bronze,

Porthleven Food & Music Festival.

Tourism pub of the year: gold, Pandora Inn, Falmouth; silver, The Blue Peter Inn, Polperro and The Gurnard's Head, Zennor.

Venue and business tourism award: gold, Carbis Bay Hotel, Spa and Estate, St Ives; silver, China Fleet Country Club, Saltash, and the Headland Hotel & Spa, Newquay.

Visitor information service of the year: gold, Visit Truro; silver, Bude Tourist Information Centre; bronze, Bodmin Information Centre.

Wildlife friendly tourism business award: gold, Bourne Leisure Perran Sands, Perranporth; silver, Feadon Farm Wildlife Conservation Centre at Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath; bronze, Forest Holidays Deerpark, Liskeard.

Outstanding contribution to tourism: Patrick Langmaid, Mother Ivey's Bay Holiday Park, Padstow.

Winner of winners: Screech Owl Sanctuary, St Columb.