Plymouth makes shortlist in England's Hall of Fame

The Plymouth Gin Distillery has been shortlisted within the Food & Drink category of the national tourist board’s VisitEngland Hall of Fame campaign from almost 1,000 claims to fame. A panel of experts have spent weeks trawling through these claims to fame to select the top 60 (10 per category). The Hall of Fame app is open from now until 13 April for the public to vote for England’s ultimate claim to fame.

The Plymouth Gin Distillery is the oldest working distillery in the country and visitors to Plymouth can take a guided tour of the country's oldest working gin distillery for a glimpse into the gin-making process. Dating back to the early 1400s, Black Friars is the oldest part of the distillery with records of a 'mault-house' on the premises going back to 1697. According to local legend, the Pilgrim Fathers stayed here before setting sail on the Mayflower to North America.

Within the Food and Drink category there are nine other shortlisted entries including the Yorkshire pudding, marmite and Earl Grey tea. The top 60 claims can be viewed at www.englandshalloffame.com, the public have until 13 April to vote for their favourite entry. The People’s Choice will go on display, alongside 18 of the best claims to fame (a bronze, silver and gold per category) in a one-off exhibition on London’s Southbank. Launching on St George’s Day (23 April) and running until 30 April, VisitEngland’s Hall of Fame exhibition at the Southbank’s Observation Point will celebrate what England has brought to the world and what makes the country such a diverse and fascinating place to visit and explore.

The search to establish England’s Hall of Fame began in February when VisitEngland asked the public to submit their suggestions on what England has brought to the world and what makes the country such a diverse and fascinating place to visit and explore. From Harry Potter to James Bond, the mini skirt to the tuxedo, The Beatles to punk music and the Magna Carta to the World Wide Web, the Hall of Fame app has received almost 1,000 submissions.

The public submitted their hometown or favourite holiday spot’s greatest claim to fame under the following categories: The Great, The Good and the Notorious; Inventions & Discoveries; Food & Drink; History & Heritage; Culture & Entertainment and Sport & Leisure.

View the shortlist at www.englandshalloffame.com, and on VisitEngland’s Facebook page. The Twitter hashtag is #EnglandsHOF                                                                                                                                   

For more information on Destination Plymouth visit: www.visitplymouth.co.uk