Grimsby Heritage Centre nominated for award after ‘excellent’ inspection

The independent assessor awards scores to visitor attractions that participate in their Visitor Attractions Quality Scheme and assesses all areas of a visit, including pre-arrival, arrival, the attraction, cleanliness, toilets, catering, retail and the staff.

For Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre, the latest visit was a great success. The highest scoring areas were in the staff, cleanliness and attraction areas with the staff themselves scoring a perfect 100%.

This high score means it has also been nominated for the prestigious Welcome Accolade, awarded to attractions that go the extra mile for their visitors. Winners of the award will be announced later this year.

The assessor noted several highlights to the visit, top of these being the tour of the historic trawler, Ross Tiger. She said: “It was a superb tour, delivered by an engaging and knowledgeable guide who clearly brought the experience to life with passion and personality.”

She added: “The main attraction was an engaging exhibition with a variety of displays, where each new room offered a fresh surprise and kept the experience interesting throughout.”

In summary, she said: “Overall, Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre continues to offer an engaging, accessible and enjoyable day out for families and visitors of all ages, with a clear focus on both heritage and learning while providing a strong sense of place and connection to Grimsby’s fishing industry.”

The report also provides recommendations for all areas assessed that support the attraction to maintain the positive experience going forward.

Operations Manager, David Ornsby, said, “The VisitEngland Assessment service is a very valuable tool to us at the museum. The team, along with wider colleagues at NELC, work hard in all areas to make the centre the very best it can be.

“An independent viewpoint with the knowledge and experience of VisitEngland allows us to pick up things that we have missed or to confirm the things that we hope to be doing right. To receive such a high score and to have such wonderful praise of the staff is a boost to us all.”