Northern Experience Wildlife Tours - Leading The Wild Pack

A groundbreaking Northumberland wildlife tour company has had its commitment to the environment honoured with a prestigious national award following its first assessment.

Northern Experience Wildlife Tours (NEWT) has been given the highest possible grading by the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), making the Scotland Gate based company the only Wildlife Tour Operator in England to hold a GTBS GOLD Award for its commitment to sustainable tourism and the environment.

NEWT owner Martin Kitching said “it’s a great honour to achieve a GOLD Award from GTBS, which is the only certification scheme for tourism in the UK to be endorsed by VisitEngland, VisitScotland and VisitWales. As well as minimising our impact on the environment as far as possible we contribute to conservation research, with our offshore trips in search of whales, dolphins and seabirds generating data that has been used in the Marine Conservation Zones project, and our regular safari trips throughout Northumberland contributing records of our land-based wildlife.”

Wendy Fail, GTBS Grading Assessor said "Northern Experience Wildlife Tours is an excellent example of how a small business can become more sustainable. Martin is extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable; this passion is infectious and is clearly displayed through his business ethic. His efforts have been rewarded with a GOLD Green Tourism Award, which is a fantastic achievement for an entry level business".

Martin will be one of the speakers at a Sustainable Tourism event for local businesses in Berwick Town Hall on March 6th, where he will describe the contribution that nature-based tourism can make to the sustainability of Northumberland’s tourism industry. As Martin explained “tourism is a vital contributor to the economy of Northumberland, and the sustainability of the environment and the sustainability of our local tourism industry go hand in hand.”

For more information about Northern Experience Wildlife Tours, visit www.newtltd.co.uk or call Martin or Sarah on 01670 827465.

2011 Northumberland Business Awards Winners

The Northumberland Business Awards winners were announced at a ceremony at the Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel last night. Huge congratulations to all the fantastic Northumberland businesses that were nominated and especially to the winners, who were:


1. Start Up - The Wellwood, Amble

2. Keep It Local - Moorhouse Farm Shop, Stannington

3. Training - William Hackett Chains Ltd, Alnwick

4. Business in community - Bad Apples NE, Ashington

5. Entrepreneur - Bruce Durham, Amble

6. Technology - Quantum Elite, Blyth

7. Green - Comvert, Alnwick

8.  Export - Techdrill, Blyth

9. Apprenticeship Ambassador - Carewatch, Alnwick

10. Best Business - William Hackett Chains, Alnwick

11. Outstanding Contribution - Ken Beattie, Blyth

Alnwick Wins National 'Best Shopping Street' Award

Alnwick's beautiful main shopping street of Bondgate Within has won Google Street View's 2011 award for 'Best Shopping Street' in the UK, beating off stiff competition from the rest of the Country. We have been enjoying the relaxed shopping of Alnwick for years and we are proud that it has finally been recognised! Over 20,000 people voted in the awards and we would like to thank all of them for giving Alnwick some excellent promotion.

Laura Scott, of Google, said: "I think it's clear that people not just from the area, but also people who have visited from outside the area, obviously really credit the North East as being not only great for shopping, but also hip or trendy. There's lots of talk from the government about Britain's high streets and I think Alnwick kind of describes what the perfect high street would be like."

Front Street in Bamburgh was also recognised in the awards, it came second in most 'Romantic Street' category.

Click here to read our complete guide to Alnwick's Shopping, part of Your Guide to Alnwick.