A NUMBER of Essex businesses have been named as finalists at an annual awards ceremony.

The East of England tourism awards celebrate the best tourism and hospitality businesses, celebrating quality, innovation and best practice from across Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Norfolk. 

Eight businesses across the county have been shortlisted as finalists in a variety of categories.

Mersea Boating Lake and Talliston House and Gardens are both finalists in the Experience of the Year category.

Mersea Boating Lake, in East Mersea is a six acre man-made saltwater lake with its own private beach access.

Gazette: Visitors enjoying the Mersea Boating Lake which opened during the pandemicVisitors enjoying the Mersea Boating Lake which opened during the pandemic (Image: N/A)

The lake offers water sports activities for all ages and abilities and is popular across north Essex.

Talliston House and Gardens, in Great Dunmow, is another popular Essex venue.

The former council house has been transformed by owner John Trevillian into a miniature palace. 

Billericay’s Downham Hall has been nominated for B&B and Guest House of the Year, alongside Piglets Boutique Country Stay in Wimbish.

Downham Hall has stood for hundreds of years, and was converted into a boutique hotel and venue in 2017.

It is now a country house hotel, restaurant, and weddings and event venue.

Essex has two nominations in the Large Hotel of the Year category - Colchester's popular Wivenhoe House Hotel and Down Hall Hotel and Spa in Bishop's Stortford.

Gazette: Wivenhoe House in Colchester is a key venue for those studying at the Edge Hotel School in the University of EssexWivenhoe House in Colchester is a key venue for those studying at the Edge Hotel School in the University of Essex (Image: N/A)

Heavily led by students from the Edge Hotel School at Essex University, Wivenhoe House Hotel is a wedding and events venue as well as a hotel.

Lastly, the Lion Brasserie in East Bergholt has been nominated for Pub of the Year, and Sible Hedingham’s Tuffon Hall Vineyard is up for the Taste of East of England award.

Gazette: Tuffon Hall's vineyard manager Leslie Hardy in the vines on his Massey Ferguson 135Tuffon Hall's vineyard manager Leslie Hardy in the vines on his Massey Ferguson 135 (Image: N/A)

A ceremony announcing the winners will take place at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall on Thursday, March 16.

The winner and finalists in each category then move on to compete with other areas of England for the national Visit England Awards for Excellence, the most coveted accolade in English tourism.