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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Law requiring landlords to repair hazards within 24 hours comes into effect
Emily Sergeant
Landlords will now have 24 hours to repair hazards reported to them as a new law comes into effect across England.
The law taking effect today comes after a ‘landmark’ new social housing bill – which was given the Royal Ascent to become law in July 2023 – was proposed and approved in early January last year.
‘Awaab’s Law’ is named after Greater Manchester toddler Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in 2020 as a result of prolonged exposure to mould in his Rochdale home, a coroner ruled back in 2022, and following his death, the Government had been pledging to deliver the new reforms.
But today (Monday 27 October), the first part of the law finally comes into effect.
This means that all social landlords – generally the local council, or a housing association – will from now be required to repair any hazards which are reported to them within 24 hours.
Landlords must also investigate ‘significant’ damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified, and then make properties safe in five working days.
For both types of hazards, they must also write the findings to tenants within three working days of inspection.
On top of that, as part of the reforms, landlords now must also consider the circumstances of tenants which could put them at risk – including young children and those with disabilities or health conditions – and alternative accommodation must also be offered if homes cannot be made safe within the required timeframes.
Awaab’s Law is being called a ‘lasting legacy’ to the two-year-old.
“Everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and Awaab Ishak is a powerful reminder of how this can sadly be a matter of life or death,” commented Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, as Awaab’s Law comes into effect today.
“Awaab’s family has fought hard for change and their work to protect millions of tenants’ lives will live on as a legacy to their son.
“Our changes will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.”
More of Awaab’s Law will be phased in both next year and in 2027 to make homes safer from more hazards, the Government has confirmed.
Featured Image – GMP / Family Handout
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The Greater Manchester high street that now has THREE great wine bars in a 200m stretch
Daisy Jackson
A popular suburb of Greater Manchester seems to be having a bit of a wine bar moment – and for once, we’re not talking about Stockport.
Prestwich has a buzzing little food and drink scene, and just this week has welcomed a brand-new wine bar.
That brings the total number of wine bars in the village to three – and they’re all in just a 200m stretch of the high street.
The latest addition is Cellar Door, headed up by siblings Ben and Sarah and sitting side-by-side with acclaimed neighbourhood restaurant The Pearl.
Cellar Door joins long-standing favourite Whole Bunch Wines (formerly known as Grape to Grain) and the new-ish Chin Chin, which comes from the same team behind Elnecot in Ancoats.
And beyond that, The Pearl has a ‘wine window’ where they’ll pass your drink out to you to drink on their pavement bistro tables.
If you much prefer a decent glass of wine instead of a pint, Prestwich is becoming the new hotspot for a bar crawl.
Read on for more on each of these brilliant independent businesses.
Cellar Door
Cellar Door is the newest wine bar to open in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
The newest wine bar on the Prestwich high street is Cellar Door, opened just this month by brother and sister Ben and Sarah.
It’s their first project together and is stocked with more than 200 different wines, plus plenty of beers (including some local names), selected batched cocktails served ice-cold, and a menu of nibbles too.
Spanning two floors, there’s a sunny balcony upstairs for sunnier days, but in the meantime, get cosy in a booth with a glass of something from their VAST vino collection.
Whole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc GroupWhole Bunch Wines (formerly Grape to Grain) wine shop in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group
An ‘off licence with a difference’, Whole Bunch Wines (which used to be known as Grape to Grain) is Prestwich’s original spot for a wine.
Almost a decade old now, Whole Bunch Wines has a proper enomatic wine machine which means you can have a glass of their chosen bottles each week (without committing to a full bottle – though no judgement if you do want to do that too).
They also have a counter stuffed with cheese, meat and fresh bread so you can customise yourself a deli board.
There’s not much better than grabbing a bottle to take away from Whole Bunch, then changing your mind and cracking it open sat on one of the barrel tables outside instead.
Last but definitely not least on this mini wine crawl around Prestwich is Chin Chin.
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This lovely spot comes from the team behind Elnecot, who initially opened it as Dokes Pizzeria (but then Rudy’s opened up opposite and honestly, who can be arsed) before pivoting it to be a wine bar.
There’s jazz vinyls playing, an enormous selection of rotating wines, a smart interior of tiled tabletops and moody red paint, and – a weekly highlight for locals – Sunday Sessions with roast dinner-inspired sandwiches and £4 pints.
Georgina Pellant -
7th March 2022 
