MORE than 200 nominees attended the semi-finalists’ event for this year’s BHStar awards recognising the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors.

Headline sponsor Hoburne Holidays welcomed guests to Hoburne Park in Christchurch to hear the semi-finalists announced for each category.

Rosie Kennar, chairman of the Hoburne Group, said: “We would like to congratulate all of the semi-finalists of this year’s BHStar Awards. It was wonderful to see a wide diversity of businesses and individuals who all contribute to making the BH region a fantastic place to work, live and visit.”

Initial judging was carried out by an independent panel and there were five categories open to public votes.

The winners will be revealed at Poole’s Lighthouse on Sunday, March 29.

Jackie Phillipson, of the BHStar Awards, said: “The judging panel was impressed by the variety of businesses, as well as the level of growth, vision, drive, and determination.

“We had a staggering number of entries, and almost 8,000 votes across the five public voting categories.

“As we approach the final judging, our focus now turns to staging a glamorous and stunning gala ceremony and dinner with entertainment, which will be the standout event for networking and making regional connections where the winners will be announced.”

Sponsors included A-One Insurance Group, Amica Live, Bournemouth Echo, City Fibre, County Foods, Country Fare, Double Dutch, Goode Choice Catering, Hoburne Holidays, Hotel Miramar, Meridian Lifts, Morebus, Meridian Air Conditioning, PRC Streamline Taxis, ReFresh, Signable, Templar Wines, Wave 105, and Warner’s Gin.

The list of semi-finalists is as follows.

Attraction of the Year

Bournemouth Aviation Museum

Centre VR

Dorset Adventure Park

Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park

Marvo Mysteries

Mighty Adventures Bournemouth

Mr Mulligans

Ouija Bournemouth

The MacGuffin Project

Bar/Pub of the Year, sponsored by Templar Wines

Chaplins and The Cellar Bar

Ojo Rojo

Renoufs Southbourne

Renoufs Verwood

Renoufs Wimborne

Smokin’ Aces

The Coventry Arms

The Foundry Arms

The Pear at Parley

The Way Outback Bar & Tap Room

Thomas Tripp Christchurch

Tin of Sardines Gin Bar

Business Tourism Venue of the Year

Centre VR

Dorset Cruises

Hilton Hotel Bournemouth

Marsham Court Hotel

Wimborne Town Football Club

Café/Tea Room of the Year

Jazz Café Sandbanks

Number 9 on the Green

Pause Cat Cafe

The Ice Chef

Velo Domestique

Chef of the Year

Matt Budden, Schpoons and Forx

Adam Butler, The Dancing Jug

Steve Hall, The Noisy Lobster

Jeremy Lenton, The Lord Bute

Jose Navio Matut, Lola’s Restaurant

Richard Norris, Cliff House Hotel

Christian Orner, Salt Co. Private Chef & Chocolatier

Ladislav Poustevnik, Beales Gourmet Ltd

Frederic Seweryn, The Guildhall Tavern

Kamil Skalczynski, Art Sushi

Steven Van der Veken, Come and Fine Dine

Bartlomiej Wujczak, The Larderhouse

Event/Festival of the Year with Double Dutch

Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe

Cheese and Chilli Festival

KR Events and Promotions

Loverocks Festival

Mudeford Seafood Festival

Navy Blue Party Hotel Miramar

Poole Harbour Festival

South Coast Makers Market

Southbourne Revival

The Bournemouth and Poole Distinguished Gentlemans Ride

Vdub at the Pub

Investing in People Award

Hilton Hotel Bournemouth

The Noisy Lobster

Jamie Lee Dance Academy

Lifting Africa

Pause Cat Cafe

Learning Experience of the Year

Bluestone College

Bournemouth & Poole College – Student Engagement Team

Ceroc Dorset

Holistic Zone

Hotel Miramar

HP Music

Jamie Lee Dance Academy

Relight My Choir

Salt Co. Private Chef and Chocolatier

The Christchurch Confectioner & Gin Shop

Webster Family Butchers

Mix Master, sponsored by Meridian Lifts

Ashley Barnett, Renoufs Wimborne

Jamie Barter, Drgnfly

Antonio Bloch, Aruba Bar & Restaurant

Isobel Cowan, Makla

Courtney Francis, Las Iguanas

Joshua Green, Chaplins & The Cellar Bar

Louise Keeley, Lolas Restaurant

Simon Preston, Tailfeather Espresso Martini

Jack Quinney, Be at One

Przemek Seczkowski, Bournemouth Distillers

Julezz Towers, The Dancing Jug

Eddie Vaughan, Ojo Rojo

Alex West, Toms Bar

New Business of the Year, sponsored by A-One Insurance Group

Almond&Co Bournemouth

Centre VR

Cliff House Hotel

Coast Print & Design

Life Balance Chiropractic Centre

Lifting Africa

Luvwed

Patty Cakes

PC Gaming Arena

Roxy’s American Diner Delivery

Seychelles Gastronomy

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf

South Coast Makers Market

Tail Feather Espresso Martini

The Ice Chef

Twelve Eatery

Zim Braai

Shopping Destination of the Year Award, sponsored by morebus

Bournemouth Town Centre

Castlepoint

Dolphin Shopping Centre

Furlong Shopping Centre

Poole Town Centre

Southbourne

Sovereign Centre Boscombe

Westbourne

Wimborne

Shopping Experience of the Year Award, sponsored by morebus

Christchurch Confectioner & Gin Shop

Dacombes of Wimborne

Fish Cove Aquatics, Wimborne

Gulliver’s Farm & Shop, Ferndown

Halfway Fish Bar, Poole

M’s Bakery, Bournemouth

Pamphill Dairy, Wimborne

Sally Beauty, Bournemouth

Titan Leathercraft, Poole

Waves, Kingland Crescent, Poole

Webster Family Butchers, Winton & Southbourne

Westbourne Bookshop

Willow Floristry, Verwood

Sunday Roast of the Year Award

Camden Bar, Westbourne

Cliff House Hotel, Southbourne

Hotel Collingwood, Bournemouth

Hotel Miramar, Bournemouth

James & White, Christchurch

Nelson Tavern, Christchurch

Penn Central, Penn Hill

Sunday Roast Deliveries, Kinson

The Larderhouse, Southbourne

The Pear at Parley

Thomas Tripp, Christchurch

Accommodation Award: sponsored by County Foods

Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa

Cliff House Hotel

Hilton Hotel Bournemouth

Hotel Miramar

Marriot Bournemouth Highcliffe Hotel

Norfolk Royale Hotel Bournemouth

South Lychett Manor Caravan and Camping Park

The Grove Hotel

The Kings Arms Hotel

The Lord Bute

The Marsham Court Hotel

The Merchant House

Village Hotel Bournemouth

Community Award, sponsored by Hoburne

AFCB Community Trust

Burnbake Forest Lodges

Family Fest

Five Loaves Bakery

Merlin’s Magic Wand Children’s Charity

Pause Cat Cafe & Fresh Charity

Rustic & Retro Cakery

The Community Learning and Resource Centre

The Feel Fabulous Project CIC

Wave Project

Customer Service Award, sponsored by Hoburne

County Foods

Dacombes of Wimborne

Dorset Cruises

Hilton Hotel Bournemouth

Liberty Cars Poole

Pizza with Love

PPE Security

The Cumberland Hotel

The Larderhouse

Webster Family Butchers

Dining Experience Award, sponsored by Country Fare

Come and Fine Dine

Lolas Restaurant

Makla

Moose Kitchen

Ojo Rojo

Salt Co. Private Chef & Chocolatier

Schpoons & Forx Restaurant

The Guildhall Tavern

The Larderhouse

The Noisy Lobster

Zim Braai

Education and Mentoring Award

Art Sushi

Bournemouth & Poole College - Student Engagement Team

Branded Studios

Classroom in the Heart of the Industry

Holistic Zone

Jamie Lee Dance Academy

Reaching Millions

Environment and Sustainability Award with Warner’s Gin

Almond&Co. Bournemouth

Cakey Love

Dorset Goat Meat Company

Lifting Africa

Ojo Rojo

Organic Hair

Pause Cat Cafe

South Coast Makers Market

Terrior Tapas

We Do Ethical

Future Proofing and Innovation Award: sponsored by City Fibre

Bourne Space

County Foods

Crest Investments

Dorset Goat Meat Company

Fusion WiFi

Moose Kitchen

Relight My Choir

Schweeet

South Coast Makers Market

Tail Feather Espresso Martini

The Burnt Chef Project

Zim Braai

Here2There Award sponsored by Hotel Miramar

Liberty Cars Poole

Morebus

PRC Streamline Taxis

Rachael’s Cars

Leading Star Award, sponsored by Goode Choice Catering

Rob Batson

Paul Collins

Eddie & Janet Coope

Deborah Fennella

Barbara Fowler

Giuseppe Flachi

Emma Ging

Lindsay Lyall

Nichola O’Hara

Dorothy & Prince Ogbuji

Carlo Orto

Ty Temel

Andrea & Barry Thompson

Dan Withey

Night-Time Award, sponsored by PRC Streamline Taxis

Aruba Resturant & Bar

Carl’s Comedy Club

Chaplins & Cellar Bar

Makla

Ojo Rojo

Smokin’ Aces

Tin of Sardines Gin Bar

Rising Star Award: Sponsored by Meridian Air Conditioning

Poria Haj Abrahim, Renesme Events

Kyle Best, CE Productions

Rebecca Bond-Hills, A-One Insurance Group

Martyn ‘the Hat’ Harris, Middleman Entertainment Solutions

Gordon Fong, Frankenfest

Charlotte Greening, Saville Travel

Carly Jervis-Goode, Goode Choice Catering

John Knight, Fresha Gin

Orry Leslie, Roxy’s American Diner Delivery

Lindsay Lyall, The Ice Chef

Mark Palmer, Luvwed

Lauren Reading, Truly’s Westbourne

Kathleen Rowley, KR Events & Promotions

Alaina Sainsbury, Patty Cakes

Amy Spreadbury, Village Hotel Bournemouth

Brett Stewart, Hotel Miramar

Steve Whale, Whaley Entertainments

Robert Braithwaite Apprenticeship Award, sponsored by ROUTEpr & Events

Joshua Andrew, ROUTEpr & Events

Rob Batson, Coast Print and Design

Megan Farelly, Webster Family Butchers

Charlie Hoskins, morebus

Matthew Maidment, Naked Coffee

Seb Scott, Dorset Cruises

Samantha Thomas, Emma’s Elegant Hair

Wellbeing Award, sponsored by ReFresh

Arcadia Beauty Spa

Cherish, Transform and Upgrade

Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa

Eforea Spa & Health Club

Emma’s Elegant Hair

Holistic Zone

Life Balance Chiropractic Centre

Oceana Day Spa

Organic Hair

Tigerlily Nail Salon

Village Hotel Club Bournemouth