The Primary Times Reader Star Awards - Edinburgh
The results of the Primary Times Reader Star Awards are now revealed
THE best of what Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh 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 over 100 primary schools across Edinburgh 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 city voted by the sack load to ensure East Links Family Park scooped the best Family Attraction category. The all-important Party Venue and Entertainer was another hotly-contested category with Time Twisters Planet finally grabbing this title.
Tusitala in Fairmilehead secured the winning place in the family friendly Restaurant, Pub and Cafe category; whilst Time Twisters also got full marks in the Indoor Play Centre category.
The picturesque surroundings and various family events contributed to Edinburgh Castle scoring the most votes in the Stately Home and Historical Attraction group. Making a big splash in the Swimming Pool/Leisure Centre category was Edinburgh Leisure who gained the highest proportion of votes, and the Vue in Ocean Terminal was chosen as the most favourite in the Cinema/Theatre grouping.
Garden Centres shone in their specialist category and according to Primary Times readers Dobbies was regarded as the most favoured. Retailers also fared well with Maddies and Marks, Clarks and H&M jointly winning the Children’s Clothes and Shoe Shop award; Toy R Us and Toys Galore in Morningside won the most votes in the Toy Shop group; book loving families favoured Waterstones in the Book Shop category and Halfords came first in the Bike Shop group.
In Edinburgh the overall winner of the Primary Times Star Award has been awarded to East Links Family Park. 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. East Links Family Park 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 East Links Family Park on winning this great accolade and congratulate their efforts in making their attraction such a hit with our readers!”
Regional winners in Edinburgh are as follows:
Overall Winner: East Links Family Park
Family Attraction: East Links Family Park
Restaurant/Pub/Cafe: Tusitala in Fairmilehead
Indoor Play Centre: Time Twisters
Stately Home: Edinburgh Castle
Swimming Pool/Leisure Centre: Edinburgh Leisure
Party Venue/Entertainer: Time Twisters
Garden Centre: Dobbies
Theatre/Cinema: Vue, Ocean Terminal
Children’s Clothes/Shoe Shops: Maddie & Marks, Clarks & H&M
Toy Shop: Toys Galore, Morningside
Book Shop: Waterstones
Bike Shop: Halfords
