THE Cherrybrook Hotel near Two Bridges on Dartmoor is to be named as the 2002 winner of the Dartmoor Tourist Association?s Winning Warmest Welcome Award ? for the fourth time.

The DTA organises the award each year to encourage high standards within the tourism trade in the Dartmoor area, through excellence in customer care.

The DTA asked visitors to nominate a tourism-related venue where they had received good service and a particularly warm welcome.

Andy and Margaret Duncan, owners of the Cherrybrook Hotel, have scooped the award three times previously, in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Mr Duncan said the couple were ?thrilled? with the ward.

He said: ?It?s something the guests have done for us, so it has more value than other awards. We run our hotel as an extension of our home and I think that people respond to that.?

Chrissy Mason, tourism and recreational transport officer for Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: ?The Authority recognises how important customer care is in contributing to the quality of the Dartmoor experience and works in partnership with the DTA and the Dartmoor tourism industry to achieve high quality sustainable tourism in Dartmoor National Park.?

Mr and Mrs Duncan will be presented with their award next Tuesday by Adam Southwell, acting chairman of the DTA and members of Dartmoor National Park Authority.

Nominations are now being sought for the Winning Warmest Welcome 2003.

Visitors can nominate any individual tourism provider in the Dartmoor area, be it accommodation, a tea shop, pub, restaurant, attraction or even a guide or ice-cream vendor.

Write nominations in letter form and complete the coupon found in the DNPA?s free Dartmoor Visitor newspaper or the DTA website and send it to Dartmoor Tourist Association Ltd, High Moorland Business Centre, Princetown PL20 6QF or e-mail

There is a prize for the winning letter ? nominations must be received by January 31, 2004.