THE business owner behind one of York’s most popular attractions has just won a European award.

The Bloody Tour of York, run by Alicia Stabler, has won the 2024 European Arival TourReview Spotlight Award – for best sightseeing tour within one city - at a ceremony held in Berlin.

Alicia also serves up the colourful costumed character of Mad Alice, who leads the tour.

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Alicia said: “It began as a small idea when I first left university 18 years ago.

“Having worked at various museums within the city I wanted to focus on the stories I was brought up on as a child in York.

“Mad Alice is one of our local legends, there’s been a lane by the same name in the city – now Lund’s Court, where supposedly, in the 19th century, an Alice Smith lived there who unfortunately went mad and began to confess to crimes she didn’t commit.”

Alicia said The Bloody Tour of York has garnered over 2,000 five-star reviews across TripAdvisor, Viator, Google and Facebook, along with a host of tourism awards from across the county.

Alicia said: “Visitors praise the tour for its interactive experience – I strive to make everyone on the tour feel included by learning everyone’s names and drawing them into the stories.

“The award means so much as it comes from people’s experience of the tour and how engaged they are.

“It’s amazing to think that my tour has been recommended to others around the world.”