We are delighted to be able to announce that the Kingswear Castle website was Commended in the South East England Tourism Awards Best Website Category 2000.
Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting, Dr Kim Howells (right), presented the award to Kingswear Castle’s Managing Director John Megoran (centre), who designed, developed and maintains the website in its current form, and Trustee Alan Beavan OBE (left) at a gala dinner at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne on 20th November to celebrate excellence in the region’s tourism industry.
The website was originated by Paddle Steamer Preservation Society volunteer Martin Longhurst three years ago and shows just what can be achieved without any significant expense. Also by maintaining the site inhouse, it can be updated instantly and without cost to meet the changing circumstances.
Awards were made in the Best Website Category to recognise the importance of the internet in today’s world and the tourism industry in particular.
Alan Peake, Chairman of the Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust, said:
All of us at Kingswear Castle are absolutely delighted to have won this prestigious award in such a hotly contested category particularly given that our website was built entirely “in house”.
First prize in the Best Website Category was won by the large hotel chain, Marston Hotels, which took more than one million pounds in bookings online last year, joint second prize by Faversham Council and the Foxhunter Park and Hills Cottage was also Commended.
Kingswear Castle returned to service in 2023 after the first part of a major rebuild which is designed to set her up for the next 25 years running on the River Dart. The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust is now fund raising for the second phase of the rebuild. You can read more about the rebuilds and how you can help if you can here.
John Megoran
