- The Cottages at Blackadon Farm awarded Gold – the top accolade in a heavily contested Self Catering Accommodation category
- Also awarded a one-off special Silver Resilience & Innovation Award for support given to the community during the COVID pandemic
10 March 2022 – The Cottages at Blackadon Farm, based near Ivybridge on Dartmoor National Park has been named as Devon’s Best Self Catering Accommodation, beating a vast number of providers in the county’s tourism industry.
Additionally, The Cottages at Blackadon Farm received a special one-off Resilience & Innovation accolade for supporting the community during the COVID pandemic.
The business, owned and operated by Marcus Bailey and Ryan Lynch has made a significant name for itself in a relatively short period of time. The business was only established in November 2019 and last year, The Cottages at Blackadon Farm received Devon’s top New Tourism Business Award.
Marcus and Ryan are pleased to be setting the standard in Devon’s tourism industry which has seen a resurgence in UK staycations following the pandemic. The best-in-class awards, including the Self Catering Accommodation category are often only received by businesses who have worked in the industry for many years.
Loyal guests now range from families, corporate groups, through to well-known musicians, Olympians and TV personalities looking to experience the best that Devon has to offer.
Up to fifty guests can be accommodated in properties that range from a one-bedroom cottage through to The Great Barn that can sleep thirty, all with ensuite bathrooms. Guests enjoy direct access to Dartmoor and have high-spec, practical accommodation that includes the fastest private Wi-Fi, beds used by five-star hotels, along extra touches like smart TVs, digital assistants and coffee pod machines to help kick start the day.
The Cottages at Blackadon Farm received a special award from Visit Devon for Resilience & Innovation. During the COVID pandemic, The Cottages at Blackadon Farm opened for essential workers including teachers and medical workers. That led to Marcus and Ryan volunteering four days a week from the start of the vaccination programme. In March 2021, the NHS asked Ryan to take over the running of the vaccination programme at Follaton House in Totnes which covered most of the South Hams and Southern Dartmoor. Marcus helped with administration at the Centre whilst also preparing the business to reopen to tourists.
Marcus Bailey and Ryan Lynch, Winners of the awards and owners of The Cottages at Blackadon Farm commented “Having spent just over two years in the tourism industry, we are proud to have been recognised by Visit Devon as the county’s Best Self Catering Accommodation provider. As one of the country’s leading tourism destinations, we must collectively come together to give visitors the best possible experience, so they keep coming back to enjoy everything Devon has to offer.”
On receiving the special Resilience & Innovation Accolade, “Helping get the country back on its feet following the COVID pandemic was a natural priority for us. We didn’t hesitate when deciding to open to essential workers and play a leading role in the delivering the vaccination programme that covered a large part of the county, extending from Southern Dartmoor, across to Dartmouth and Salcombe.
Awards organiser, Robin Barker of Services for Tourism added: “It has been so rewarding to see an increasing number of businesses enter this year’s awards, finding the time to apply despite all the hurdles being thrown at them. Reading the judge reports and stories of innovation, creativity and determination has been inspirational. Well done everyone.”
Having been successful winners in the Visit Devon Tourism Awards, The Cottages at Blackadon Farm will now be put forward in the South West Tourism Awards which include the best tourism businesses from Devon, Cornwall, Scilly Isles, Dorset, Bristol & Bath, Somerset Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.