A hotel in East Lancashire has been hailed as ‘Newcomer of the Year’ at the Wedding Industry Awards, which took place earlier this week.

The Crow Wood Hotel and Spa resort on Holme Road, Burnley, beat eight other wedding businesses across the North West to receive the accolade.

Paige Mallabourn, senior wedding planner at the hotel, said the award means a lot to the team.

She said: “We are absolutely over the moon to have won it, especially after we were up against some amazing venues too.

“We claimed in the top spot, despite being a new venue and having all the challenges from lockdown as well.”

Paige said the win was “extra special” as they were nominated by former guests who had their wedding at the four star hotel.

She said: “This award isn’t just a voting panel as you have to have been nominated by people who have had a wedding at Crow Wood so that makes it even more sentimental for us.

“We know that we have the support from people who have had their wedding here in the last 12 months.”

The Crow Wood hotel only finished being built in October 2019, just five months before coronavirus lockdown plunged the wedding industry into chaos.

Since then, when restrictions allowed it, the hotel has hosted more than 80 weddings.

Paige said the unique layout and thoughtful design of the Crow Wood Hotel could be the reason for their best newcomer win.

She said: “We took the guest’s journey into perspective when we built the venue.

“We knew we needed a big room with gardens, a drinks reception in a specific place, a nice big walk through… we also have a rosette-winning restaurant on site.”

Despite being open for less than two years, The Crow Wood Hotel was also nominated for the ‘Best Hotel Venue’ award.

The Crow Wood was  highly commended in the category, beaten only by Cragwood Country House Hotel in the Lake District.

Paige said it was “incredible” to even have come second.

Mitton Hall Hotel in Clitheroe and Stanley House Hotel and Spa in Blackburn were also nominated in the category.

To find out more about The Crow Wood Hotel and Spa visit their website.