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Primary Times Cornwall Reader Star Award Winners 2018
The very best of what Cornwall has to offer local families can now be revealed in this year’s Primary Times Reader Star Awards results.
The results, which can now be revealed, give the winners’ a well-deserved round of applause…
And this year’s winners are…
This year, the highly desired Family Attraction award was split into two categories to accommodate the places where people like to spend their time for a full day out and for a half day out.
Winning the Family Attraction Award (for a Full Day Out), was Lappa Valley Steam Railway. This beautiful attraction impresses visitors with its pleasant steam train journeys and variety of seasonal events. This added interest, along with its existing miniature railways, crazy golf, canoeing lake and play areas, clearly hit the mark with local families who visit the park regularly. Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary was the runner-up in this category.
The online offers, reasonable membership rates and discount return tickets make a visit to Lappa Valley great value, enabling it to pick up the top prize in a new category this year: the ‘Best Value for Money Attraction’. Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary was the runner-up in this group.
A new award this year was that of the best Family Attraction for a half day out. This category was created to include attractions that people may visit, perhaps, for a few hours but on a frequent basis, or attractions that offer timed schedules. Dairyland Farm World was chosen as the winning attraction in this category. This beautiful attraction is a big hit with Primary Times’ readers and its wide range of events, nature trails, Pat a Pet section and massive indoor play area tempts local families to return again and again. The runner-up in this category was Newquay Zoo.
The importance and value of outdoor play and its positive effects on children makes the Outdoor Play category a particularly significant one. Heartlands won this category with its climb-on sculptures, diverse gardens and giant adventure playscape for kids. This was closely followed by Lappa Valley Steam Railway. As for Indoor Play Centres, these are considered a crucial part of British family life as the weather is often so unsettled, so the merit of winning the Indoor Play award is seen as a highly valued prize. Kidzworld Adventure Play won the Indoor Play Centre award, with Raze the Roof coming second.
The entertaining events and family orientated activities at the Royal Cornwall Show, enabled it to be chosen as the favourite Local Fair, Show or Festival for 2018. The hugely popular Stithians Show was runner-up in this category.
The highly prized category of Party Venue and Entertainer is always fiercely contested as the quality of party entertainment in the area is first class. The kid’s parties at Vox Dance Studios acquired the highest number of votes, whilst the party packages in the Bull Pen at Dairyland Farm World tipped it to second spot.
A new award introducing a Free Local Family Event was won by Heartlands for its thrilling fireworks display. The second highest number of votes in this category went to Playfest in Truro and Truro Day.
The blue-ribbon category, that of Overall Winner, asked readers to think about their favourite attraction which offered them the best overall experience. Collectively, readers chose Lappa Valley Steam Railway as their Overall Winner for 2018, gaining 25% of the overall votes. Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary scooped the runner’s-up prize in this prestigious category.
Linda Edwards, Publishing Editor at Primary Times Cornwall said: “We are so grateful to our readers for their valued contribution to our Reader Star Awards. The results are incredibly insightful and allow us to take a glimpse into the minds of local people, discovering what the children enjoy and what attractions are hitting the mark with the ever-changing needs of families".
"We would like to applaud all the individual winners of each category and congratulate them on their success. In particular, we would like to commend Lappa Valley Steam Railway on winning the particularly significant Overall Winner award. Lappa Valley has shown a steady ability to progress and adapt to the ever-changing needs of its visitors. The attraction is extremely well-maintained offering a large variety of activities and events throughout the year, which clearly appeals to our readers. We look forward to seeing what the next twelve months will bring and how the local attractions and venues will evolve and develop".
Primary Times Cornwall Reader Star Award Winners 2018...
Family Attraction (Full Day Out)
• Winner: Lappa Valley Steam Railway
• Runner up: Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary
Family Attraction (Half Day Out)
• Winner: Dairyland Farm World
• Runner up: Newquay Zoo
Indoor Play / Activity Centre
• Winner: Kidzworld Adventure Play
• Runner up: Raze the Roof
Free Local Family Event
• Winner: Fireworks at Heartlands Cornwall
• Runner up: Playfest in Truro and Truro Day
Outdoor Play Centre
• Winner: Heartlands Cornwall
• Runner up: Lappa Valley Steam Railway
Best Value for Money Attraction
• Winner: Lappa Valley Steam Railway
• Runner up: Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary
Local Fair, Show or Festival
• Winner: Royal Cornwall Show
• Runner up: Stithians Show
Party Venue / Entertainer
• Winner: Vox Dance Studios
• Runner up: Dairyland Farm World
Overall Winner.jpg)
• Winner: Lappa Valley Steam Railway (25% of votes)
• Runner up: Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary