More than 500 hospitality industry representatives turned out to recognise the state’s best and brightest at the recent Tasmanian Hospitality Association 2021 Awards for Excellence.
The event was the largest held at the host venue Wrest Point since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and followed on from the cancellation of the 2020 Awards for Excellence due to COVID.
Winners on the night included Bridport Hotel owner Darren Martello (pictured above with award sponsor, Tim Powell of Carlton United Breweries and Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein) who snared the Premier’s Award for Contribution to the Community.
The award recognised Martello’s support of local live music acts and local sporting clubs, as well as the ‘Clean our Coast’ annual event he established four years ago in collaboration with Byron Bay Brewery to clean plastic and rubbish from the local beach.
The event, which takes place in early December, attracts local volunteers who pitch in to remove litter from the local beach and then head back to the pub for a barbeque lunch.
“It’s a really good day, and it’s turned into a fantastic event that attracts 100 people and every year we get more. We clear heaps of rubbish off the beach,” Martello told Australian Hotelier. “It was really nice to be recognised for what we do for the locals and the local clubs.”
Two hotels from the north-west seaside town of Stanley took out four of the top awards. The Ship Inn was awarded Best Accommodation Venue of the Year – Regional and the Best Superior Accommodation, while The Stanley Hotel won Hotel/Pub Tavern of the Year – Regional and Best Pub-Style Accommodation.
“After the most challenging year and half in living memory, it’s a testament to our venues that the judging process was so difficult and of such a high standard,” THA CEO Steve Old said.
“Tasmania’s hospitality industry is regarded as among the best in the world, and the venues awarded tonight really are of the highest class. We congratulate everyone on their nominations, and we look forward to supporting the industry to recover, prosper and strive for excellence into the future.”