IT WAS all smiles for Battle of Evesham director Mick Hurst when he claimed his VisitEngland Tourism Superstar 2026 trophy at the recent Awards for Excellence evening held on June 3 at Aerospace Bristol.
Mick, who lives in Harvington secured the national crown after securing a landslide public vote earlier this year, the award recognising his passion and dedication in growing the Battle of Evesham festival into one of Europe’s leading historical re-enactment events.
Held each year in August the two-day event attracts around 60,000 visitors to Evesham to experience the spectacle of medieval mayhem in parkland alongside the River Avon.
Mick told the Observer: ““It was an amazing experience and has highlighted Evesham in the best way possible.”
“Being among the top tier of English Tourism and guests from overseas was an interesting experience, then to go on stage and accept an award for promoting Evesham was slightly surreal.
“There were over 100 representatives in the audience, including from multi-million-pound organisations, and of course our fellow finalists from across the country.
“It proved that our local history and heritage, on a budget, can outshine the biggest in the industry.”
He sat next to the director of VisitEngland, Andrew Stokes, who was “genuinely fascinated” how the Battle of Evesham festival has evolved into a major annual draw, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
The conversation, Mick said quickly turned to the future and vital, ongoing restorations of the Round House and The Almonry, and the as yet untapped potential of the Riverside redevelopment project.
“We spoke about the plans for a Battle of Evesham Heritage Visitor’s Centre, which he pledged to promote.
“He told me will now be watching Evesham develop into a regional tourism hub, and so far, likes what he sees.
Mick paid tribute to his wife Sue and that sharing the awards ceremony with her under the spectacular wings of Concord which made the evening “truly special”.
“She keeps me grounded and works tirelessly on the Battle of Evesham festival and our various year-round events, but she rarely gets the chance to see how much our hard work is appreciated,” added Mick.
Bredon View Glamping Retreats also had a night to remember and received the silver award in the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year category.
Other Worcestershire tourism businesses recognised were Attwell Farm Park, Redditch, Rowley Farm Holidays, Holt Heath and the county’s iconic Morgan Motor Company, Malvern secured the gold in the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year category.
