Celebrations all around for Black Country attractions after winning big at national tourism awards
There have been celebrations for two Black Country attractions after being named as the best in their field at a major tourism awards.
Crumbles Coffee House and Deli at Compton Care in Wolverhampton and Stourbridge Glass Museum have been celebrating winning gold awards at the West Midlands Tourism Awards ceremony, which took place at The Belfry on March 16.
The cafe and the museum were among 16 gold award winners at the awards, which celebrated the tourism industry across Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Solihull, Shropshire, Warwickshire, and Wolverhampton, with Crumbles winning Café/Coffee Shop of the Year and Stourbridge Glass Museum winning the Regenerative Tourism Award and director Alexander Goodger winning Outstanding Contribution to Tourism.
Located at specialist palliative and bereavement care charity Compton Care's Compton Hall site, Crumbles is a firm favourite among hospice visitors and the local community, and is also a popular stop-off for walkers, cyclists, and canal boaters exploring the nearby nature reserve and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.
Tom Keen, Compton Care’s Catering Services Manager, said: “Winning Café/Coffee Shop of the Year in these prestigious awards is an incredible honour for all of us at Crumbles.
"As a hospice café, we’re proud to offer a welcoming, comforting space not only for our local community and visitors, but also for the patients, families and friends who rely on Compton every day.
"To receive such recognition in our very first year entering the awards is truly something special.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be celebrated alongside so many outstanding businesses across the region.
"These awards shine a light on what makes the West Midlands such a fantastic place to visit, and we’re delighted to be part of that story.
“A heartfelt thank you to all our wonderful customers for your continued support.
"Every visit to Crumbles directly helps us care for local people, and we can’t wait to welcome even more visitors through our doors.”
The Stourbridge Glass Museum takes peopele on a journey through time to witness the fascinating story of the Stourbridge Glass Quarter.
They can discover what it was like to work inside a glass cone and how the industry helped this part of the Black Country gain its reputation for creativity and skill around the world.
Director Alexander Goodger said: “To win not one but two Gold Awards is a tremendous honour- and being the only organisation to achieve this makes it even more special.
"Our sustainability award, our fourth to date, recognises our journey toward becoming a near net-zero museum.
"We're proud to be held up as a national exemplar in this area, and the results speak for themselves: by taking back control of our energy consumption, we're now saving over £68,000 annually- a decision that has proved both environmentally and financially prudent at a time when global events continue to impact oil prices.
"As for winning Outstanding Contribution to Tourism, I'm deeply honoured.
"From the very beginning, my goal has been simple: for local people to feel proud of their heritage and confident that we're preserving it for future generations.
"That's exactly what my dedicated team and I have worked tirelessly to achieve- all without a penny of taxpayer funding.”
Gold and silver winners from the regional awards automatically qualify for the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2026, taking place in June, where West Midlands businesses will compete for national recognition.
