It is celebrations all round for a Shropshire business owner after scooping two awards after being rated by their guests and also reaching the final stages of the West Midlands Tourism Awards.
Donna Cooke, who runs Springfield Barns Holiday Cottages in Marton, just outside Shrewsbury, is looking forward to the regional “Oscars” of the tourism industry next week.
Donna launched the business in summer 2019, with a desire to share the beauty of Shropshire with guests from afar.
She is now thrilled to have been shortlisted for the Self Catering Accommodation of the Year 2022 award hosted by West Midlands Tourism.
The shortlisting was quickly followed by two award certificates arriving in the post from cottages.com where their guests have rated Springfield Barns as one of the top places to stay in the country based on guest reviews.
It is the third consecutive year The Parlour has scooped the award and it is the first time The Coach House has won the award after opening its doors in May 2021.
Donna, who boasts a background in hospitality and business management with huge brands including British Airways, said she was thrilled to have won the awards and to also be shortlisted for the West Midlands Tourism Award too.
“Like everyone else in tourism and hospitality we have had a challenging couple of years in the industry but guests are back and enjoying staycations here in beautiful Shropshire.
“People love our cottages and come back time and time again.
“Like many other businesses during the pandemic we had to think outside the box with our offer and we were able to offer accommodation to people who were between homes or moving into the area and their new homes were not ready.
“It was important for those guests to have somewhere safe to stay where they could still isolate, carry on their businesses and enjoy a normal life in the most unprecedented of times,” Donna said.
“Ian and I are very much looking forward to the award ceremony on March 31st but we know we are up against the best of the best and we are quite deservedly in that top three.
“Whatever happens on the night we will be coming home with a bronze, silver or gold in our eyes.”
Donna said she is passionate about not just selling their converted barns as a place to stay but also promoting Shropshire as a wonderful destination.
“Shropshire is a real gem of a place to live, work and stay and visit family.
“Our cottages are so accessible for people wanting to visit Shrewsbury, Ironbridge and so many other places across the county and across the border into Wales.
“Our rural locality means we can offer pet friendly holidays for people who enjoy the fresh air, walking, cycling or exploring but we are not remote – we are just 12 miles outside of the county town,” she said.
Donna and her husband Ian will be attending the West Midlands Tourism Awards on March 31st. For further information visit www.springfieldbarns.co.uk and follow them on Facebook and Insta @springfieldbarns to find out if they win
