Rossendale jewel crowned Lancashire's top cultural venue

The Rossendale Valley was well represented as the Lancashire Tourism Awards were handed out at Stanley House Hotel & Spa.

The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery was the big winner of the night, with the Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire venue named Cultural Venue/Organisation of the Year.

There was also recognition for the Eagle and Child in Ramsbottom, Bury, Greater Manchester with outgoing owner Glen Duckett - who also heads up social inclusion business Eat Grow Thrive - crowned Unsung Hero of the Year, recognising the work of individuals or groups throughout the pandemic.

The Whitaker's delighted managing director Carl Bell said: “We were up against the Winter Gardens and [Lowther Pavilion] Lytham St Annes, and a few other big boys so we are very, very pleased to get it.”

Following its £2.2m lottery-funded facelift, the venue - which announced a merger with Rossendale Leisure Trust (RLT) last February - now boasts an expanded exhibition space and new visitor facilities.

The art gallery will open two new exhibitions on Thursday, February 10 - Ruth Murray’s ‘Everything is Green’ and Harry Grundy’s ‘Edge Collection’.

On Thursday, February 17, The Whitaker will premiere an evening on The Life and Poetry of Samuel Bamford by Neil Bell, who played Bamford in the Mike Leigh Film Peterloo.

And Manchester's award-winning short films will be screened in the venue's Kinofilm festival on Thursday, March 3.

It’s a far cry from 2013 when a funding row between the county and borough councils saw the future survival of the Rossendale Museum in doubt.

Carl says they are forecast to hit 55,000 annual visitors in their first year since reopening in July - several months ahead of the target set from heritage funders.

He told the Rossendale Free Press: “We are very pleased, especially with all the Covid stuff going on and the reopening.

"We were in a very difficult scenario, but it’s been really successful. We certainly haven’t been down on numbers. Obviously we have had investment and are doing more marketing.”

He said the tie up with the RLT had given them wider scope, and allowed them to advance their community focus.

“What’s good about the award is they’ve recognised the level and quality that we have managed to maintain - even though we’ve doubled in size,” Carl added.

“We are looking at national and international artists - we are moving in the right direction.”

A Leisure Trust spokesperson said: “Huge congratulations to The Whitaker - Rossendale Museum and Art Gallery, a well deserved award for a fantastic team last night at the Lancashire Tourism Awards.”

Marketing Lancashire hosted almost 400 tourism and hospitality partners and colleagues, at the event guest presented by comedian Tez Ilyas.

Dearden Wood, Edenfield and Rossendale Holiday Cottages & Glamping reached the final three before being pipped in the Camping, Glamping & Holiday Park of the Year category, with the latter venue also a finalist for the Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year award.

The multi-award winning Eagle & Child was also a finalist in the new Resilience and Innovation category, prompted by the challenges of the last two years.

Throughout the lockdown, it has acted as a community hub providing more than 1,500 meals to the vulnerable, and has also provided food parcels and support to local organisations.

Mr Duckett, who took over the derelict venue in 2011, has recently handed over the reins to Bill and Will Gallie, of Gallie Inns.

The pub’s social media manager Robyn Eames said: “I‘m incredibly proud to have worked for a boss like Glen, giving people like me a chance when others wouldn’t and always looking for ways to help people.”

In her opening speech Rachel McQueen, chief executive of Marketing Lancashire, said: “We have lost so much over the last two years, and I know that many in this room will have suffered personal as well as professional pain.

"But we have gained something too - the undeniable truth that the Lancastrian spirit will never be defeated, and the recognition, finally, that this great county is nothing without its tourism and hospitality businesses.

“When you were forced to close your doors, everyone realised how much they were missing, and how big an impact on the quality of life in Lancashire that the visitor economy makes.”

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