The Loo of The Year Awards has announced the overall winner for the 2023 search to find the ‘best away from home’ toilets and washrooms in the UK.
The winner is Hillcroft Park, from Ullswater Valley in the Lake District. Their entry was in the Holiday Parks category. Hillcroft is a family-owned business and is run within the Lake District National Park, offering year-round self-catering accommodation including camping, glamping, self-catering lodges and cottages.
The owners won this prestigious award and were presented with it on Thursday 18 January as the last award of the day at the National Loo of The Year Award Event and Dinner at the Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, where over 300 people attended.
The Loo of the Year Awards and associated Attendant of the Year Awards for cleaning technicians have been identifying the best in the UK since 1987, and are recognised as standard setters for all those who provide ‘away from home’ facilities for staff, customers and visitors.
Every entry receives an unannounced visit from an authorised Loo of the Year Awards Inspector and is assessed against a wide range of judging criteria (101 points) – including signage and décor, fixtures and fittings, and overall standards of cleanliness and management. Every entry then receives a grading and the highest awarded marks, are shortlisted for one of a number of National Awards covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Over 1500 entries were received this year, across the 63 separate entry categories of the competition and all of these will have received gradings from an Inspector for their facilities, and a certificate to show this. There are many awards to be won during the day, with the final 18 trophies for best in the following categories being awarded in the afternoon. The winners this year are:
- Most Improved Facilities: Oakmoor Touring Park
- Chairman’s Award: Witches Criag Caravan and Camping Park (Scotland)
- Period Dignity Award: Standard Chartered (for London Bank)
- Toilets In Education: Madley Primary School
- Local Authority Entries: Wychavon District Council
- Eco Friendly Toilet Entries: Tyddyn Isaf Caravan Park (Wales)
- Space To Change Toilet: Buttercrane Centre (Ireland)
- Changin Places Toilet Entries: Llandaff North and Gabalfa Hub (Wales)
- Baby Changing Facilities Toilet Entries: Festival Place Shopping Centre
- Accessible Toilet Entries: Trinity Shopping Centre Aberdeen (Scotland)
- Public Toilet Entries: Road Chef Killington Lakes
- Corporate Provider Entries: J D Wetherspoon
- Individual Categories: Bryndu Caravan and Camping Park (Wales)
- Overall Winner: Hillcroft Park
The 2023 Awards were headline sponsored by Citron Hygiene, who ‘are on a mission to raise the standards in Britain’s washrooms’ with additional sponsorship provided by Accrol Group and P-Wave. Many first-time establishments are joining the increasing number of providers who submit their toilet facilities for an annual, independent assessment to learn more about what’s new within the industry, and also to make sure that their toilets and washrooms are of a high standard.
