The founder of a Bath food tour company has been nominated for a major national tourism award.
Mike James, pictured, from Savouring Bath, was put forward by Visit West, the body that runs destination marketing organisation Visit Bath, for the annual Tourism Superstar competition.
The contest, staged by Visit England, recognises and celebrates the dedication and passion of people in the industry who have gone the extra mile to ensure tourists have an unforgettable experience.
This year the award – run in partnership with The Mirror newspaper – will also recognise the efforts made in the face of the pandemic.
Savouring Bath supports and collaborates with many artisan food and drink businesses across the city.
Participants discover the best of the city using their taste buds while strolling through its elegant 18th-century streets and alleyways, stopping off at venues ranging from unusual tea houses and artisanal coffee roasters to breweries, bakeries, farmers’ markets and falafel sellers.
The tours are led by local guides who are passionate and highly knowledgeable about Bath’s best independent food and drink outlets, share anecdotes about the city’s culinary heritage and give top tips on its independent food and drink outlets.
When the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns took hold, Mike refunded cancelled bookings and then looked to how he could support the local producers and suppliers that he worked with.
He began making deliveries for Bath’s Thoughtful Bakery to deliver bread to customers who were isolating at home and volunteered and worked for a number of artisans in the city, including packing treats at a chocolatier and working at a cheese shop.
This also meant he learned a lot about the businesses and their processes, so increasing his knowledge and making his tours more interesting.
Since the tours restarted last May, bookings have doubled and Mike has also developed a new Cheese tour.
Visit West head of marketing Jon Chamberlain said the organisation was delighted that Mike was in the running as one of the finalists in the Tourism Superstar competition.
“He is a fantastic ambassador for Bath and the excellent food and drink scene you can find here,” he added.
“Mike showcases the city through its food, but not just the finished product – he shines a light on the people and the stories behind the taste and has made a real success story out of Savouring Bath.”
Mike’s enthusiasm and passion for the city has not only enhanced its reputation as a great destination for food and drink but sparked many excellent reviews for Savouring Bath, which often mention Mike personally.
One on Trip Advisor said: “Mike is not just incredibly knowledgeable about all things foodie in Bath, he basically IS the food-and-drink scene having seemingly worked in many of the establishments and knowing all the staff at the stops on a first-name basis, and is able to single-handedly run a tea ceremony, describe all the ice-creams in Swoon and remember the sourcing of all the meats in the final wine bar.”
Mike added: “If I win it will actually be ‘us’ as a city that wins – I couldn’t do what I do without the combination of fantastic local food and drink, the artisans that bring it to the public and the visitors who come to the city to experience it.”
Voting for Tourism Superstar closes March 24 – to vote click here. The winner will be announced by The Mirror on March 26.
Photo of Mike James courtesy of Visit Bath
