Hall Hill Farm in County Durham is celebrating a huge win after being named Best Large Attraction at the 2025 North East England Tourism Awards and winning the Gold award.
It follows farm’s recent win in the esteemed National Farm Attractions Network Awards.
Over the years, Hall Hill Farm, near Lanchester, has won numerous regional and national tourism awards – but this is the first time it has been recognised as the best large attraction in the North East, beating the other shortlisted nominees of Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum & Whisky Distillery, Bamburgh Castle and Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens to the Gold award.
Last year Hall Hill Farm was highly commended in this category and has previously won Gold in the small attraction category before the tourism business’s growth in visitor numbers.
With 120,000 visitors last year, Hall Hill Farm has become a must-visit destination for families seeking hands-on farm experiences.
The family-run attraction, led by Ann Darlington and son Richard, first opened in 1981, and what started as a simple lambing event has grown into one of the UK’s most beloved farm experiences.
Ann said: “We are absolutely delighted to win Gold at the North East England Tourism Awards. This recognition means so much to us as it reflects the dedication, passion and hard work that our entire team puts in every day to create a welcoming, enjoyable, and memorable experience for our visitors.
“We strive to offer something special for families and individuals of all ages, and receiving this award is a fantastic endorsement of everything we do.”
Richard said: “Being named the region’s top large visitor attraction is an incredible honour, and we couldn’t be prouder. This award is a testament to the commitment of our amazing team, who go above and beyond to make Hall Hill Farm such a wonderful place to visit.
“We would also like to say a huge thank you to all our visitors, whose support and enthusiasm make our work so rewarding. We look forward to continuing to provide unforgettable experiences for everyone who walks through our gates.”
Tourism and hospitality businesses gathered at the annual awards ceremony in Newcastle to honour excellence in the industry.
Delivered by Destination North East England, there were 17 awards in total and winners in some of the categories will now go on to compete at a national level at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, held in Brighton in June.
John Marshall, chairman of Destination North East England, said: “Every year these awards are a joy to be part of, offering us a moment to take time to recognise the fantastic businesses and individuals who contribute to our visitor economy.”
Farmer Richard’s engaging social media posts and videos on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have also made him a fan favourite worldwide with more than 400,000 followers.
