Lincoln Castle has been recognised on the national stage, scooping VisitEngland’s coveted Welcome Award.
The accolade recognises the consistently high level of quality, care and commitment at the monument and is based on the experiences of an independent assessor, as well as customer feedback and online reviews.
Reflecting on their visit, the assessor said: “Lincoln Castle provides a rich and immersive visitor experience…the standards of visitor care, engagement, presentation and interaction were exemplary.”
The castle’s knowledgeable staff and volunteers received special praise, with the team described as “a standout strength, consistently delivering friendly, knowledgeable, and proactive service that significantly enhances the overall experience.”
The accolade is the latest national recognition for the castle, which also received VisitEngland’s Gold Award and the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award last year – placing it in the top 10 per cent of visitor destinations worldwide.
Cllr Natalie Oliver, executive councillor for culture, joined the castle team to receive the award at a special celebration event held at The British Motor Museum.
She said: “Receiving VisitEngland’s coveted Welcome Award is a phenomenal achievement and my congratulations go to each and every member of the team. They represent Lincoln Castle with such enthusiasm and dedication every single day, delivering an outstanding experience that ensures every visit is memorable for our visitors.
“It’s been an incredible year for the castle. Not only is work underway on a multi-million pound package of repairs to protect the medieval walls, we’ve also welcomed our third – and biggest – dragon yet, Hastings.
“After standing for almost a millennium, the landmark is more popular than ever, and we’ve welcomed a record numbers of visitors, both to this summer’s Live at Lincoln Castle concerts, and last year’s festive light extravaganza. And we’re not done yet – tickets for Lincoln Castle Illuminated are on sale now to bring a sprinkling of magic to your family Christmas.”
Now in their 12th year, VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Accolades are awarded to participants of the VisitEngland Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme across a range of tourism attractions from historic houses, gardens, country parks and farm attractions to galleries, museums, churches and cathedrals.
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:
“England’s visitor attractions are first-class, and these accolades highlight why they deserve this recognition. The recipients of these awards provide an outstanding welcome, unparalleled food and drink and magical storytelling making them integral to the high-quality tourism offer provided to domestic and international visitors.”
Plan your visit to Lincoln Castle on their website.
Pictured left to right, VisitEngland Chairman, Lady Victoria Borwick, presenting the Welcome Award to Madeleine Hawkins, Visitor Experience Manager, and Cllr Natalie Oliver, Executive Councillor for Culture at Lincolnshire County Council.