The Donkey Sanctuary wins Devon’s Best Large Visitor Attraction and Best Café at the Devon Tourism Awards and an accolade from Visit England.

It marks a glittering end to the year for The Donkey Sanctuary after picking up not one but two Golds in the 2024-25 Devon Tourism Awards this month.

The Donkey Sanctuary was awarded Gold for ‘Best Large Visitor Attraction’ and ‘The Kitchen’ restaurant, located at the heart of the Sidmouth sanctuary, also took the top spot in the ‘Best Café or Tearoom’ category. 

The glittering event was held at the Crowne Plaza in Plymouth on November 21 but a huge snowfall in Devon meant the team could not be there to collect the awards.

These latest awards top off a successful year, following on from a Gold standard award in the Food Drink Devon awards in October, and a coveted Visitor Attraction Accolade from Visit England later the same month.

Visit England Director Andrew Stokes said: “Our accolades highlight the wonderful visitor experiences provided by English attractions, from the warmest of welcomes to amazing food and drink and outstanding customer service.

“Our tourism businesses are the bedrock of our industry and it is wonderful to highlight and celebrate the fantastic service and experiences they give visitors, time-after-time.”

Marianne Steele, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary said: “The Awards are testament to the hard work and dedication our team put in every day to ensure visitors to our restaurant enjoy great food, and a great experience every time they visit us.

“Not only this, they can be rest assured that every penny of profit helps us to reach more donkeys and mules in need, both here in the UK and across the world.”

The Kitchen team pride themselves on providing fresh, local, seasonal produce in a relaxing and friendly atmosphere. It’s a popular venue with visitors and locals alike, many of whom are regulars, and comes with unparalleled views of the surrounding countryside and sparkling sea beyond.

Lisa Keech, Food and Beverage Manager at The Kitchen restaurant added: “Myself and the team are delighted to win Gold at the Devon Tourism Awards, and with this following on from our prestigious Visit England accolade, and our success in the Food Drink Devon awards, this is wonderful way to end the year and a fitting reward for all our hard work.”

More than 400,000 people visit The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth every year, making it a leading attraction in the region and a great benefit to local businesses. The sanctuary is open 364 days a year and is free to visit.