One of Suffolk’s best-loved landmarks and tourist attractions has been given a top rating award by visitors.

East Anglian Daily Times: Chairman of the trust John Carrington and mill manager Dan Tarrant-Willis outside the Tide Mill Living Museum in Woodbridge. Picture: GEMMA JARVISChairman of the trust John Carrington and mill manager Dan Tarrant-Willis outside the Tide Mill Living Museum in Woodbridge. Picture: GEMMA JARVIS (Image: Archant)

Woodbridge Tide Mill has received a 2020 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award for being among the “best of the best” based on exceptional visitor reviews over a full year – before changes caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Tripadvisor “award winners exemplify travellers’ ultimate favourite, top 10% of hospitality businesses around the globe”.

John Carrington, chairman of the Woodbridge Tide Mill Charitable Trust, said: “It’s a little intriguing that a mill that has been on the site in Woodbridge for 850 years is in the top 10% of attractions worldwide according to Tripadvisor, founded in Massachusetts 20 years ago.

“Since the Covid-19 pandemic struck we have switched a lot of effort, with great success, to online marketing and this reflects the efforts of our volunteers at a time when the mill, like so many attractions, has had to forego some valuable visitor revenue.

East Anglian Daily Times: Woodbridge Tide Mill Picture: PETER CUTTSWoodbridge Tide Mill Picture: PETER CUTTS (Image: (c) copyright citizenside.com)

“The trustees are immensely grateful for the work our team has done to justify this award.”

Kanika Soni, chief commercial officer at Tripadvisor, said: “Winners of the 2020 Travellers’ Choice Awards should be proud of this distinguished recognition. Award winners are beloved for their exceptional service and quality. Not only are these winners well deserving, they are also a great source of inspiration for travellers as the world begins to venture out again.”

When Woodbridge Tide Mill closed in 1957 it was the last commercial working tide mill in England. It is now one of only two tide mills in the country still producing stoneground wholemeal flour. The current mill is 220 years old but the earliest known mill on the same site was built in the 12th century – thus celebrating 850 years of a mill on the site this year.

It is managed and maintained by volunteers, dedicated to sustaining this wonderful example of a bygone age. It is a popular visitor attraction and educational resource and continues to produce genuine stoneground flour.

East Anglian Daily Times: Head miller Dan Tarrant-Willis and his colleague Mary Shuttleworth enjoy the demonstrations as much as the visitors do. Picture: GEMMA JARVISHead miller Dan Tarrant-Willis and his colleague Mary Shuttleworth enjoy the demonstrations as much as the visitors do. Picture: GEMMA JARVIS (Image: Archant)

Flour milling got under way again in May, and the mill opened to visitors again in summer after acquiring the industry standard ‘Good To Go’ mark meeting virus guidelines, cleanliness and social distancing.

East Anglian Daily Times: Inside the Tide Mill Living Museum Picture: RACHEL EDGEInside the Tide Mill Living Museum Picture: RACHEL EDGE (Image: RACHEL EDGE)