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VisitEngland Assessment Services

Hayley Adcock, Operations Manager

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What we do….

• We offer expert advice, support and

assessments for tourism and hospitality

businesses.

• Our VisitEngland Quality Assessors are

industry professionals and will assess your

business against an agreed set of quality

standards to ensure consistency against

other businesses in your sector.

• VisitEngland Assessment Services operated

under license by The AA.

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Schemes

• Self-Catering

• Guest Accommodation

• Hotel

• Budget Hotel

• Holiday Park

• Holiday Village

• Hostels

• Campus

• Glamping

• Serviced Apartments

• Racecourses

• Visitor Attractions

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Taste and Entry Level Accreditation

• Both schemes re-launched November 2018.

• VisitEngland works with destinations and local

assessment organisations to offer both

schemes on a local level.

• The schemes are also freely open to any

business without a local scheme, and they can

re-apply to VisitEngland Assessment Services

directly.

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Taste Scheme

• VisitEngland's Taste scheme recognises

businesses which offer the warmest of welcomes

and excellent customer service, alongside high

quality food and drink.

• The Taste scheme is suitable for all types of food

business, from fine dining to fast food.

• Minimum score of 60% in order to be accredited

under VisitEngland’s Taste scheme.

• A score of 80% or above will result in a Taste

Gold Accolade being awarded.

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Taste Scheme

• Businesses using local suppliers, ingredients

and dishes also have the potential to be

recognised with a Local Food Accolade.

• As the Taste scheme is suitable for all types

of food businesses our assessors will make

sure that when they are completing your visit,

they will assess in context.

• Our assessment team will always take into

account the type of establishment and the

expectations that a typical customer at that

establishment would have.

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Entry Level Accreditation

• VisitEngland’s Entry Level Accreditation has

been designed to provide accommodation

businesses with a robust and dependable

method to demonstrate that they are

operating in a safe, clean and legal way.

• Initially launched in 2010, VisitEngland’s Entry

Level Accreditation has ben regularly revisited

to ensure it covers the latest legislation.

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Entry Level Accreditation

• Entry Level Accreditation is not a substitute for

a VisitEngland Star Rating.

• Suitable for all accommodation types, including

serviced and self-catering properties and

holiday parks.

• Criteria required to achieve Entry Level

Accreditation are outlined in our Quality

Standard guide.

• After the visit, the business will receive a written

report confirming whether or not the

accommodation met each criteria and the

overall accreditation.

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Welcome Schemes

• Essentially highlights those establishments who are set up

to cater for particular customers.

• Welcome schemes are extra schemes and not available as

standalone assessments.

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National Accessible Scheme

• The National Accessible Scheme (NAS) is a national

scheme, independently assessed by trained assessors

against demanding criteria.

• Assessed properties will have facilities such as handrails,

ramps, level-access showers, hearing loops and colour

contrast.

• If you have particular mobility, visual or hearing needs look

out for our National Accessible Scheme.

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Website Listing

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Why choose to be quality assessed?

Independent assessment with professional advice

Nationally and Internationally recognised Quality Marque (be proud of your rating and promote it to

everyone at every opportunity)

Gives reassurance to customers and yourself (just be/do the best you possibly can)

Online presence and free direct link to your website

Access to a range of marketing benefits including quarterly magazine and range of partnership

benefits- insurance, utilities