A group of villagers have just bought back their local pub after years of campaigning in a bid to save it from developers.
Locals in Grimston, near Melton, have raised £500,000 between them in order to rescue and preserve the historic 400-year-old Black Horse boozer – the last remaining pub in the village – from potential demolition.
After a three-year fight to change the pub’s fate, they’ve finally succeeded in securing the funds to buy it back – using a range of fund-raising, investment from shareholders in The Black Horse Community Group Ltd and government funding.
Now, after years of work they’re setting to work to refurb the boozer and bring it back to its former glory – busying away to remove the evidence of its three-year closure, which has left it looking a little bit shabby.
Speaking on the news, Mike Petty, Chariman of the Black Horse Community Group, told Leicestershire Live: “Once or twice it looked like it may slip from our grasp, but here we are and it is absolutely fantastic.
“This project has been so important because there were only three amenities left in the surrounding area of Grimston. This was the church, the village hall and the pub – and most people worshipped at the pub.
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“The pub was quite run down when we purchased it, and it had been closed for three years as well, but I have got some amazing colleagues on the committee who are picking up the baton of sorting it out.
“It is the only one in the village, and you can’t walk along footpaths to get anywhere else. With the pub gone, the heart had gone from the community and we are going to get it back.”
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The pub quietly shut in 2020 after its then-owners decided it was no longer viable as a business, but when it went up for sale villagers complained that it was priced out of their reach.
The campaign group now intends to lease it to a tenant who will run it, with plans to officially reopen the pub later this year.
The Manchester restaurant serving bottomless curry for just £20 during National Curry Week
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s leading curry houses is bringing back its bottomless curry offering very soon.
For just £20, diners can tuck into unlimited curry, rice and naan at Zouk Tea Bar & Grill, stuffing yourself silly on authentic dishes from from all over the Indian subcontinent.
There’s nothing quite like getting the gang together for a proper curry, and Zouk is making it even easier to do exactly that this October.
They’ll be bringing back the £20 Bottomless Curry deal for National Curry Week 2026, running for five nights only, from Monday 5 October to Friday 9 October, with tables available between 5pm and 10pm each evening.
Guests can choose one curry from a daily selection of four, with meat, vegetarian and vegan options available throughout the week.
Once you’ve picked your curry, you can then order as many portions as you fancy during your 90-minute booking.
Rice and naan are unlimited too, so there’s no shortage of carbs to mop up the curry with.
The dishes on the menu include some of Zouk’s favourites, such as Chicken Karahi, Lamb Rogan Josh, Chicken Tikka Masala, Dall Makhani, Chicken Handi and Gobi Manchurian.
The exact four-dish selection varies by day, giving curry fans a reason to head back more than once during the five-day promotion.
And yes, you can go back for another helping.
Zouk owner Tayub Amjad said: “National Curry Week is always a great excuse to celebrate the food we love.
“Bottomless Curry has become a real favourite with our customers, so we’re excited to bring it back for five nights. It’s relaxed, great value and perfect for getting friends together for a proper curry night.”
Advance booking is recommended – you can book your table for the Zouk Bottomless Curry nights HERE.
Entire Blossoms band rock up to independent takeaway for ‘best sandwiches in Manchester’
Daisy Jackson
Blossoms have hailed a Manchester takeaway as having the ‘best sandwiches’ in town.
The Stockport band popped in – all five of them – to Ad Maiora in the Northern Quarter, to sample one of their authentic Italian sandwiches.
Ad Maiora shared a picture of the five-piece outside their Tib Street sandwich shop, saying it was a ‘special’ moment to have the band visit.
The humble sandwich business started life in the apartment of Sardinian couple Daniela Steri and Enrico Pinna, who quit their jobs to dedicate their lives to sandwiches.
It then expanded to open its first proper site in February last year, where they create beautiful butties with freshly-baked schiacciata – a Tuscan flatbread – and top-quality Italian ingredients.
It’s not just Blossoms who have fallen for Ad Maiora’s incredible food.
The sandwich business is also a firm favourite with several Manchester City stars, including Erling Haaland, who even has a sandwich on the menu named after him.
Blossoms hailed Ad Maiora as having the ‘best sandwiches in Manchester’. Credit: The Manc Group
They’ve had several visits from Pep Guardiola, too, while he was manager of Man City.
Sharing the picture of Blossoms, Ad Maiora wrote: “A special visit from Stockport’s finest.
“It was an absolute pleasure welcoming @blossomsband to Ad Maiora for some proper Italian schiacciata!”
Blossoms commented to say: “I migliori panini di Manchester!! Grazie mille ragazzi” – which translates as: “Best sandwiches in Manchester!! Thank you so much guys.”
Georgina Pellant -
30th August 2023 
