Cast your vote: Peak District pub tour guide nominated for Tourism Superstar Awards 2024

Emily, a tour guide offering bespoke tours of the unique and historic local pubs in the Peak District, has been nominated for one of the tourism industry's top awards.

Nominated as one of the 10 finalists in VisitEngland's highly-prized 2024 Tourism Superstar competition, Emily Williamson, the founding guide at Pub Tours Ltd, has been recognised for her dedication to providing visitors with an unforgettable experience.

As a widowed mother-of-three and lifelong resident of the Peak District National Park, Emily founded Pub Tours Ltd to help visitors taste, experience, and be educated on the authenticity, history, and culture of the area's rural pubs.

Passionate about celebrating and preserving the local pub trade, Emily was inspired to set up Pub Tours Ltd following the pandemic, which brought significant hardship to many businesses, particularly after repeated lockdowns.

During her tours, visitors are taken on a historical journey through six hand-picked Peak District pubs, where they learn about each pub's unique stories and sample locally-produced beers and spirits.

Pubs frequently featured on Emily's tours include The Flying Childers at Stanton-in-Peak, a historic inn with links to an undefeated 18th-century thoroughbred racehorse; The Barrell Inn at Bretton, the highest pub in Derbyshire with far-reaching views; and The Maynard at Grindleford, a boutique hotel famous for hosting international touring cricket teams.

Out of dozens of submissions from employers and destinations across England, Emily was selected as one of the 10 Tourism Superstar finalists. The competition invites the public to watch a short film created for each finalist on www.visitengland.com/superstar and vote for their favourite.

Visit Peak District, Derbyshire & Derby – the area's accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) – is leading the campaign to encourage residents, businesses, and visitors to vote for Emily. Voting closes on 24 March at the end of English Tourism Week (15-24 March 2024), with the finalist receiving the highest number of public votes declared Tourism Superstar.

Emily Williamson expressed her excitement, stating, "I founded Pub Tours Ltd, the Peak District's very first dedicated pub tour company, to highlight the importance of our local pubs to a much wider audience than just those of us that have been lucky enough to grow up and reside within the Peak District National Park.”

“I am beyond thrilled that through this desire to showcase our unique pubs and their importance to the world, and to in turn bolster our rural pub trade, I have been shortlisted for the finals of such a prestigious national award."

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, expressed pride in Emily's nomination: “Pubs are not just an important part of the visitor experience, they are also the beating heart of many rural communities and an integral part of the local economy – supporting hundreds of jobs. Emily has turned her passion for our local pubs into a fantastic visitor experience, helping people to learn more about their stories, history and communities along the way.”

“Emily is a worthy ambassador for the destination, and a champion of our rural pub trade, and we hope people will show their support for her by voting!”

This marks the third consecutive year that an entrant from Derbyshire has reached the finals for the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar award, with previous finalists including Luke Henshaw from Great British Car Journey in 2023 and George Finlay from Matlock Farm Park in 2022.

For more information and to vote for Emily go to VisitEngland's Tourism Superstar award’s website - www.visitengland.com/superstar.