The Primary Times Reader Star Awards - Devon

The results of the prestigious Primary Times Reader Star Awards are revealed

THE best of what Devon has to offer families is revealed in the results of this year’s Primary Times Star Awards, as voted for by parents of children aged 4 to 11 years in the county.

Families across Devon voted in volume during 2011 for their favourite local family-friendly places and entertainment in the prestigious Primary Times Star Awards. 

Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire that was printed in this family friendly magazine that is distributed to 90% of primary schools across Devon and taken home directly via the children to mum and dad. 

Families were asked a series of straight-forward open-ended questions.  Suggestive questions and multiple choice answers were deliberately omitted from the survey to test for unprompted responses.  The answers were intriguingly revealing and portrayed an honest reflection of where families prefer to spend their leisure time or buy their goods.

The results of these unique awards, which attracted a huge number of entries from parents, provide a vital snapshot of what’s tops with families in a harsh economic climate - and give the worthy winners a well-deserved round of applause.

Readers were quizzed for their most preferred choice over 12 separate categories.  There were individual winners for each category and an overall winner was chosen from the highest number of total votes across all categories.

Fun-loving families across the county voted by the sack load to ensure Crealy Great Adventure Park near Exeter scooped the best Family Attraction category. The all-important Party Venue and Entertainer was another hotly-contested category. The fun-loving and hugely amusing children’s entertainer Jungle Jim grabbed this title.

The Boathouse at Dawlish Warren secured the winning place in the family friendly Restaurant, Pub and Cafe category; whilst Bear Feet in Newton Abbot got full marks in the Indoor Play Centre category.

The picturesque surroundings and various family events contributed to Killerton House scoring the most votes in the Stately Home and Historical Attraction group. Making a big splash in the Swimming Pool/Leisure Centre category was Exeter’s Riverside Leisure Centre who gained the highest proportion of votes, and the Vue in Exeter was chosen as the most favourite in the Cinema/Theatre grouping.

Garden Centres shone in their specialist category and according to Primary Times readers Otter Nurseries in Ottery St Mary was regarded as the most favoured. Retailers also fared well with Ridgeways in Newton Abbot and Clarks jointly winning the Children’s Clothes and Shoe Shop award; Toy R Us and Austins in Newton Abbot won the most votes in the Toy Shop group; book loving families favoured Waterstones in the Book Shop category and Halfords and Partridge Cycles came first in the Bike Shop group.

In Devon the overall winner of the Primary Times Star Award has been awarded to Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park near Exeter.  This much loved family adventure park has continued to respond the needs of its customers and has consequently won the hearts and minds of many local families as a great place to repeatedly take the children whatever the weather. Crealy continues to thrill local children with its huge portfolio of rides and slides, water based activities, indoor and outdoor play zones, animals to visit, and programme of special events.

Anne Blackham, Sales and Marketing Manager at Primary Times said “We were thrilled with the response to the Reader Star Award survey as it has highlighted what attractions and shops are important to our readers.  We are delighted for Crealy on winning this great accolade and congratulate their efforts in making their attraction such a hit with our readers!”

Regional winners in Devon are as follows:

Overall Winner: Crealy

Family Attraction:  Crealy

Restaurant/Pub/Cafe: The Boathouse, Dawlish Warren

Indoor Play Centre: Bear Feet

Stately Home: Killerton House

Swimming Pool/Leisure Centre: Riverside Leisure Centre in Exeter

Party Venue/Entertainer: Jungle Jim

Garden Centre: Otter Nurseries, Ottery St Mary

Theatre/Cinema: Vue in Exeter

Children’s Clothes/Shoe Shops: Clarks and Ridgways in Newton Abbot

Toy Shop: Toy R Us and Austins in Newton Abbot

Book Shop: Waterstones

Bike Shop: Halfords and Partridge Cycles