Elite Bistros chef Gary Usher has revealed plans to open his first gastropub in Cheshire.
The popular chef behind esteemed Manchester restaurants Hispi and Kala shared that his company is in the process of buying up The White Horse in Churton
Piquing the interest of many of his loyal foodie followers, the news also started a bit of a debate about whether dogs should be allowed in (spoiler alert, they will be).
The historic pub has long been a local favourite, but has been shuttered since the start of the Covid pandemic as former licensees Dave and Jackie Biles had found the business was becoming “unsustainable”.
It was listed for sale with a guide price of £495,000, but Usher has since confirmed that an offer has now been accepted on the property.
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: Hispi
Image: Hispi
Promising to deliver ‘unpretentious’ food and ‘great drinks’, he’s clearly aware of what the locals want from the pub – and at pains to stress that that is what he wants, too.
“We are in the middle of buying the White Horse pub in Churton but it’s not complete. I’ve always loved it there & it would be a dream for us to run it,” he tweeted.
ADVERTISEMENT
As well as having plenty of room downstairs for diners, the pub also has bedrooms upstairs – leading some to wonder if these will be available to guests from further afield wanting to make a night of it.
It’s clearly a labour of love for Usher, who revealed that his parents live nearby and he is a huge fan of the area.
Sharing the news to Twitter, he wrote: “I’m a terrible business person because I can’t keep my mouth shut when I’m excited. We are in the middle of buying the white horse pub in Churton but it’s not complete.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sirloin roast dinner for two at Kala, Manchester. / Image: Kala
“I’ve always loved it there and it would be a dream for us to run it. The pub is beautiful and so is the area. My mum and dad live a few minutes away so I’m very familiar with the area and walking my dog Billy there with my mum and dad’s dog Rossa.
“I’m absolutely aware how much the White Horse means to the community in Churton because like any good pub that’s who it’s primarily there for, the community, and anyone else who visits is a lovely bonus. If we get it I don’t want to rip it apart and change the way it looks. I love it.
“Our plans at the White Horse are pretty simple, we want to serve great drinks, delicious unpretentious food by a team that love what they do. I’m super keen to hear what the local community like.”
Early grey, tonka and brown butter custard tart, Armagnac prunes at Kala, Manchester / Image: Kala
It will be the first gastropub for Usher, who already has a network of lauded eateries across the north west.
These include Sticky Walnut in Hoole, Chester, Burnt Truffle in Heswall on the Wirral, Hispi in Didsbury, south Manchester; Wreckfish in Liverpool; Pinion in Prescot; and Kala in Manchester.
ADVERTISEMENT
All these eateries, with the exception of Sticky Walnut, were opened with the help of crowdfunding.
Usher has also previously hinted about opening a tapas restaurant called Joya this year. The chef has previously said that his company is looking to raise £2m by selling shares in the restaurant business.
This plan would allow Usher to create a new brand within it and open three further sites.
The chef has said that a CrowdCube fundraiser for the pub will launch on 4 April. For more updates, make sure to follow the new Instagram page for the pub here.
Feature image – Rightmove
News
Bury primary school teaching assistant jailed after pleading guilty to child sex offences
Emily Sergeant
A teaching assistant from Bury has been sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple sex offences against a ‘vulnerable’ young boy.
Terri Cook, of Masefield Avenue in Radcliffe, appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court last week, where she was sentenced after pleading guilty to eight charges of sexual offences.
The sentencing came after officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Child Protection Investigation Unit (CPIU) began in ‘intense’ investigation into Cook back in September of last year after a member of the public reported seeing her out with a young boy.
The subsequent investigation showed that she had been grooming and manipulating the young boy into engaging in a sexual relationship with her.
Police found numerous messages on Cook’s phone where she had been inciting sexual communications with the boy and holding indecent images of him, and she was also found to have been buying him expensive items, like jewellery and clothing, for a period of more than nine months.
During a powerful statement read out in court, the young boy was described as being ‘extremely kind and caring’, with his mum adding: “Despite experiencing traumatic events earlier in his life, he continued to be positive and compassionate. He smiled every day and made us all laugh.”
Cook was sentenced four-and-a-half years in prison for eight charges of sexual offences.
Speaking following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Adam Stanfield, from GMP’s Bury CPIU, said: “This case was a horrific example of calculated abuse of power, and Cook targeted a vulnerable child who put his trust in her.
“Grooming is a form of manipulation that can leave lasting emotional and psychological damage, and our priority remains protecting young people and supporting victims as they recover.
“This sentencing also emphasises our unwavering commitment to protecting male victims. They can be victims too and I urge anyone who believes they may have been through anything similar to please report to us.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
The richest people in the North West have been revealed, featuring Harry Styles, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and Gallaghers
Daisy Jackson
The Sunday Times Rich List has been published today, revealing the wealthiest person in the North West to be Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The annual list highlights the richest people in the UK, often filled with famous faces and business moguls.
This year, the 350 individuals on the list hold a combined wealth of £783.5 billion – that’s about a quarter of the UK’s total annual GDP.
The Sunday Times Rich List also highlighted other North West figures, such as Harry Styles, the Issa brothers, and Tyson Fury.
Other famous faces from elsewhere in the UK include Sir Elton John, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, JK Rowling, Charlotte Tilbury and Sir Lewis Hamilton.
It found that Sir Jim Ratcliffe – chemicals magnate, Ineos CEO, and Manchester United shareholder – still tops the list regionally despite falling revenues and a £515.7 million loss.
Mohsin and Zuber Issa are fourth on the list of the wealthiest in the North West – the Blackburn billionaire brothers founded the EG Group petrol stations, and acquired the supermarket giant Asda.
Betfred brothers Fred and Peter Done come next, with an estimated net wealth of £3.6bn.
Property developer and Renaker founder (Renaker is behind the Deansgate Square towers) Daren Whitaker saw his wealth grow by £100m in a single year.
Elsewhere on the list are Liam and Noel Gallagher, making their Sunday Times Rich List debut at £375 million.
Michael and George Heaton, the British brothers behind the Represent streetwear brand, paid themselves minimum wage for a decade before selling a stake and making £18.5m each.
Robert Watts, compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List, said: “This year’s Rich List is a tale of two exoduses. One in six of the individuals and families who appeared on the list two years ago don’t feature this time.
“Many foreign billionaires who have been living in the UK have also dropped out because they have moved away. We have also seen a sharp rise in the number of British nationals now resident in Dubai, Switzerland and Monaco. As UK nationals these people remain on our Rich List — wherever they now live.
“These two exoduses pose challenges for the UK economy and its public finances. Will more of the wealthy now set up or grow their ventures overseas and in doing so create fewer jobs here? How much tax — if any — will Rachel Reeves’s Treasury be able to extract from those affluent Brits who have now left the country?
“For nearly 40 years the Sunday Times Rich List has analysed the fortunes of Britain’s most affluent people. We believe understanding where wealth lies and where it is being accumulated is a vital part of a functioning democracy.
“Over the years our research has told us a lot about our country, charting the way a generation of largely self-made entrepreneurs overtook the old money of the landed gentry.
“This year’s edition shines a light on fortunes made from artificial intelligence, driverless cars and crypto-currencies as well as baby milk, make-up, hoodies and other everyday items. We know many of our readers find those rags-to-riches stories of entrepreneurs who started out with little more than a laptop and an idea particularly inspiring.”
Georgina Pellant -
7th March 2022 
