Thrilled to achieve a Visit England 5* Gold Award

Our Visit England Assessment and Award

Our Visit England Assessment was arranged for the middle of January. It was a cold, windy and very wet day. Trying to show off our shepherds hut, The Huddle, in the best light was off to a bad start. Would the Assessor even reach us as travel conditions were deteriorating? Thankfully he did, safely, and all went well. So I’m so thrilled to announce the outcome. We’ve achieved a Visit England 5* Gold Award.

Regenerative Tourism

It was equally pleasing to see that the Assessor was aware of how important sustainability is to our business. The Visit England report noted “The Huddle has been thoughtfully designed with sustainability in mind”.

Reassuringly Visit England emphasize their connection with regenerative tourism. Their guide, The Regenerative Tourism Guide, within their award scheme details their principles. They encourage both us and guests to positively help local environments, communities and economies. This ties in perfectly with our objectives.

Each year our guests thankfully make a positive impact on many diverse businesses, organizations and environments in the vicinity. From visiting wildlife reserves and market towns, historic treasures to traditional pubs and tea rooms. It’s not unusual for guests to attend, and return for, one of our popular village events.

Undoubtedly food and drink, and all things connected to them, get the most support. After all we all have to eat and drink! And it is difficult to ignore the delicious array of food and drink options within 5 miles, of which several can be walked to.

For our part, all the delicious and quality produce for our little shop is sourced from within a 30 mile range. The Welcome Hamper in the Huddle likewise. Alongside this our Green Tourism Gold Award shows how much we care about the environment.

Whilst on the subject of local I have to confess about our sheep. They are not the breed most local to here. Instead of Norfolk Horns we have Herdwicks. They are a native breed, and are considered rare. As the Visit England report stated, “This bespoke shepherd’s hut is tucked away in a peaceful corner of the Norfolk countryside, surrounded by rare breeds and abundant wildlife”

Finally what’s in it for you?

The Visit England assessment marks 8 keys areas including Beds, Bathroom, Kitchen, Heating and Lighting and Cleaning. As a guest of The Huddle you can expect , as the resultant report notes, “exceptional comfort and attention to detail”. But we don’t stop there. The report finally notes how we are dedicated to “ensuring every guest enjoys an unforgettable experience”. We will certainly try our best if you book your next break away in The Huddle.