Gold for Dorset Gardens
Director of one of the South’s leading PR Agencies, Darren Northeast PR, shares news and upcoming events in Dorset and beyond.
Compton Acres, highly regarded as Dorset’s finest private gardens, have emerged above tough competition across the whole of Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the rest of the South West, winning gold in the ‘Best Small Tourist Attraction’ category at the South West Tourism Awards. This award marks the most recent accolade for Compton Acres, which was recently honoured ‘Dorset Tourism Small Attraction of the Year’ at the Dorset Tourism Awards in November 2015.
Coming to the end of the month of ‘love and pancakes’, I can’t believe how fast 2016 is moving! January felt so short that you could have blinked and missed it whilst February is moving much in the same fashion. So before we miss any more time, let’s take a look at the month that’s been and ahead to what Dorset has in store for March and beyond…
Compton Acres’ 10 acres of beautiful gardens stretch from The Italian Gardens to the Wooded Valley; they include the Rock and Water Gardens; the Heather Garden and the Japanese Garden. Compton Acres also includes its very own Café and Tea Rooms, a Specialist Plant Centre and a Gift Shop to provide a wholesome tourism experience.
February marked the annual South West Tourism Awards, the South West’s most prestigious awards for all regional businesses in the tourism industry. It was great to see several Dorset businesses pick up the gold, including The White Post in Rimpton which won ‘Pub Of The Year’ – well deserved as it boasts glorious views of both Dorset and Somerset countryside. To win an award is a great PR opportunity for businesses, so I know how much these awards mean to those who win. Congrats to all those who won and their fellow finalists too.
With the addition of this gold award to their trophy case, Compton Acres is now one of the most prestigious tourist destinations in the South West.
PR Man About Town As we come to the end of fabulous February…
Still to come in February are some fabulous acts who are due to grace the BIC’s Windsor Hall. At DNPR we have several staff members who are big pop princesses, so excitement is well building for the arrival of both the X-Factor Tour (24th Feb) as well as X-Factor queen, Leona Lewis on the 27th of Feb. Moving to March it will be that important time of year when we all celebrate and show gratitude to our marvellous mums. If you are looking for a way to thank your lovely mum, why not book in for an afternoon tea at recent South West Tourism Gold Award winners, Compton Acres, who are hosting a special Mother’s Day menu on Sunday the 6th at their café and tearooms - including free entry to their glorious gardens and a lovely potted plant to take away for all those who book.
www.comptonacres.co.uk
Restaurant Review – Highcliff Grill By Dan Cutler Situated on its bold clifftop perch the Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel overlooks Bournemouth’s stunning world class beaches. The sophisticated destination boasts gorgeous views of the Dorset Coast. Over changing times, it remains contemporary, its rooms being famed for offering both elegance and comfort. Walking into the hotel we were greeted by the welcoming staff and charming décor.
March will also mark the milestone 100th year of the Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce. As Patrons of the chamber we can’t wait to celebrate with fellow chamber members in style which all starts with their ‘Rio Carnival’ themed party on the 10th of March.
To start, I went with the Hot Smoked Pork Belly with Earl Grey tea. The dish combined my love of pork with a remarkable twist; the melt in the mouth pork was superbly cooked and complimented by aromatic tea. Served with pickled mushrooms and toasted oats, it was a combination of fantastic flavours and textures.
Lastly, I was very fortunate to recently visit the 2016 City of Culture, Wroclaw in Poland on a business trip. Whilst I was there for work I couldn’t help but admire this wonderful city and it’s fantastic multi-cultural environment. If you’re looking to take a trip away from Dorset later this year on business or pleasure I can highly recommend Wroclaw.
Next came some truly remarkable main courses. I had been told by Nick that the Corn Fed Chicken would be like nothing I had ever eaten before. I can happily say that I have never had such a tasty and succulent chicken prepared so effortlessly at a restaurant. The rich, velvety smoked bacon gravy, accompanied by the creamy gnocchi and cauliflower was a culinary treat I won’t soon forget.
Thanks for taking the time to cast your eyes over this month’s edition of ‘PR Man About Town’ have a great rest of February and we hope you’ll join us again at the end of March!
The desserts were playful and took an exciting take on some British classics. The Highcliff Banoffee was a true favourite, another delight with every mouthful.
Darren Northeast, Director of Darren Northeast PR www.darrennortheast.co.uk
Altogether, the Highcliff Grill produced a fantastic dining experience. The food was exquisite and can be described as enchanting and innovative. The atmosphere to match was so relaxed and enjoyable. It is an ideal place for visitors to Bournemouth who are looking for food that won’t disappoint. www.BournemouthHighcliffMarriott.co.uk 151