High Peak businesses shine at regional tourism awards

Businesses, venues and volunteers from across the High Peak have been recognised among the very best in the region at the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby Tourism Awards 2026.

From standout visitor attractions to independent cafés and community volunteers, the awards celebrate excellence across the local tourism and hospitality sector — and this year saw a strong showing from High Peak.

Celebrating local success

A major highlight was the team of volunteers at Buxton Opera House, who took gold in the Team of the Year category, recognising their vital role in supporting one of the area’s most important cultural venues.

Meanwhile, Dylan Torr from the Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust was awarded silver in the Tourism Young Achiever category.

Award-winning venues and experiences

Several High Peak businesses also picked up awards:

• On The Bridge Café – Bronze, Café & Tearoom of the Year
• The Blind Bull – Bronze, Pub of the Year
• Torr Vale Tap – Bronze, New Tourism Business

Visitor experiences and events were also recognised:

• Buxton Georgian Festival – Silver, Festival or Event of the Year
• Buxton Pottery Painting – Bronze, Experience of the Year

A boost for the local economy

Councillor Anthony Mckeown, Leader of the Council, said:

Congratulations to all the local businesses that won awards or were shortlisted – a fantastic achievement and a true reflection of the quality and variety of the tourism and visitor economy in the High Peak.

These awards showcase the very best in the industry so it’s wonderful to see local individuals, visitor experiences, and companies recognised for their dedication and hard work.

Tourism is such a vital part of our local economy – visitors to the High Peak contribute over £500 million to our economy and thousands of people work in the tourism industry. Thanks to business such as these, we can look forward our area continuing to grow in popularity as a destination of choice years to come.

But don’t forget, whilst these businesses and experiences may be aimed at visitors and tourism, they also, in many cases, provide a great service for the folk that live here, so if you’ve not tried any of our nominated and awarded businesses, why not give them a try today?

Residents are also encouraged to support local businesses, with many of the award-winning venues offering experiences for the local community as well as visitors.