THE UNSUNG heroes of York's tourism industry have won the recognition of the public and of their peers at a glittering awards ceremony in the city.

About 300 people gathered at York Racecourse to honour the winners of this year's York Hospitality Association Awards For Excellence.

The awards, presented at the Racecourse's Voltigeur Suite, celebrate and reward the people who work within York's crucial tourism industry.

The winners received their awards as civic leaders, proprietors, managers and other hospitality industry figures looked on.

The entire staff of the Monkbar Hotel, York, had something to smile about after the awards. Their receptionist, Claire Cummings, emerged victorious in her category, and the hotel took the prize for Employer Of The Year.

It was also a good night for The Royal York, which took two awards; and the Meltons and Meltons too restaurants each scooped a prize.

Also among the stars for the night was Brenda Sempers, a member of the restaurant staff at the Ramada Jarvis York, who impressed judges to take the Evening Press Customer Care Award.

This prize, which celebrates an individual who excels in a critical skill for tourism businesses, was part of our newspaper's sponsorship of the Awards For Excellence.

The awards are run by York Hospitality Association but are open to all tourism and hospitality-based businesses in the York area. They generally focus on individual staff, rather than the businesses for whom they work.

The full list of this year's winners was: Chef - John Goliger (Meltons); York College Travel and Tourism Student - Stephanie Griffiths (York College); Tourism Trainee of the Year - Robert McManus (Alleycats); York College Work-Based Learner - Hugh Wayper (York College); Tourism Employee - Pat Shotton (Treasurer's House); Receptionist - Claire Cummings (Monkbar Hotel); Customer Care - Brenda Sempers (Ramada Jarvis York); Housekeeping - Samantha Eccles (The Queen's Hotel); Hospitality Student - Teresa Wong (York College); Person Friday - Mike Fawcett (Royal York); Restaurant/Bar - Stuart Clarke (Royal York); Supervisor/Dept. Manager - Richard Williams (Meltons too); Administration-/Reservations/Sales - Louise McGroaty (York Marriott); Employer of the Year - Monkbar Hotel.

Updated: 10:46 Tuesday, March 30, 2004