A FARM business about to celebrate its centenary won two top awards at the Visit Herefordshire & Visit Worcestershire Awards for Excellence.

Clive's Fruit Farm of Upton upon Severn, founded in 1917 and pioneers of pick your own in the 1960s, picked up the best visitor attraction and best food producer categories. The farm's fortunes were initially boosted by the innovations of fruit grower Felix Clive, who fought with British airborne troops at Pegasus Bridge during the Second World War and returned to the UK with new ideas from the Continent. Since 1988 the business has been run by his son Charlie and daughter-in-law Jane, who have turned the venue into a rural multi-attraction family day out.

At the awards event at Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, 60 finalists were represented in ten categories, ranging from best hotel to best food producer, best visitor attraction and best festivals and events. Guests enjoyed refreshments provided by the Eastnor Castle catering team on the terrace overlooking the Herefordshire countryside before taking their seats in the Great Hall. Proceedings were hosted by Mike Ashton, chief executive of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and there was an address by Mid Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston, member of the select committee for culture, media and sport, who spoke about the government’s action plan for tourism and his passion for the sector. Ian Edwards, deputy chief executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, also spoke about where tourism sits in public policy and the funding opportunities available.

Worcestershire winners were: best conference venue – Stanbrook Abbey Hotel, Callow End; best eating out –The Cotford Hotel, Malvern;

best festivals & events (commercial) – Royal Horticulture Society Malvern Spring Festival; best festivals & events (community) – Pershore Plum Festival; best food producer – Clive’s Fruit Farm, Upton-upon-Severn; best guest accommodation – The Green Farm, Crowle Green, near Worcester; best hotel – The Broadway Hotel, Broadway; best self catering – Phepson Farm Cottages, Himbleton, near Droitwich; best touring, camping and holiday park – Canvas and Clover, Holt Heath, near Worcester and best visitor attraction – Clive’s Fruit Farm, Upton-Upon-Severn.