When Elite Bistros chef Gary Usher revealed plans to take over a historic country pub in Cheshire, Manchester took notice.
The popular chef behind esteemed eateries Hispi and Kala, Sticky Walnut, Wreckfish, Burnt Truffle and Pinion has certainly made a name for himself in the bistro world, not to mention breaking every crowdfunding record he’s ever set.
Now, he’s trying his hand at something new. Having opened six acclaimed bistros to date, last year he went and snapped up the White Horse pub in Churton: a charming local pub that just so happens to sit down the road from his parent’s house.
At the time Usher revealed that it had always been a dream of his to run the pub as he had ‘always loved it there’ and often walks his dog Billy in the area.
The dining area at The White Horse at Churton. / Image: The Manc Eats
The bar area as you enter the pub at The White Horse at Churton. / Image: The Manc Eats
Today, that dream officially became a reality as the pub’s doors reopened for the first time. So naturally, we mooched over to check it out for ourselves.
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Little did we expect the main man himself to be the one to hold the door, but there he was.
When Usher first announced his takeover of the country boozer, he promised ‘delicious, unpretentious food’ and ‘great drinks’. Having tipped in for lunch, it seems fair to say that he has delivered.
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Braised beef with roast garlic and parsley mash, a curried lamb pie and an 18oz dry-aged sirloin of beef to share all jump out at us, but in the end, we opt for the heartiest of hearty classics. Namely fish and chips, and faggots.
For the uninitiated, faggots are essentially chunky little meatballs made from offal and flavoured with herbs and breadcrumbs. A favourite of my dads, I grew up eating them – but only on his birthday, because my mum found the idea of shaping the minced-up off cuts too offputting for any other occassion.
Beer battered haddock and chips with minted peas and tartare sauce at The White Horse at Churton. / Image: The Manc Eats
Herby lamb faggots with mash, crispy shallots and salsa verde at The White Horse at Churton. / Image: The Manc Eats
Typically they’re made using pork, but at The White Horse the meat of choice is lamb. It works, very well, the herbs running through dense meatballs, which in turn sit atop a bowl of creamy mash pooled with rich gravy. Crispy shallots add crunch. It’s proper.
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As for the fish and chips, we both agree that aesthetically these are the neatest chips we’ve ever seen. “DId they recruit a bricklayer in to lay these chips? They look so neat” quips my dinner date as we dive in.
We agree the fish batter is stodgy, but in the best possible way. Another thirty seconds in the fryer and it would’ve been overcooked.
As it is, though, everything is absolutely spot on: from the thickly sliced homemade pork pie paired with a sunshine-yellow piccalilli, to the chunky slice of Welsh rarebit loaded with lashings of stout and Appleby’s smoked Cheshire cheese.
Slice of homemade pork pie with sunshine-yellow piccalilli and home pickled chillies. / Image: The Manc Eats
Stout rarebit with Appleby’s smoked Cheshire cheese. / Image: The Manc Eats
Yes it’s early days and we’re in danger of running into a rave before the staff have even learnt to walk, but in fairness even the service was impeccable – something you don’t always expect to find at a new opening just finding its feet.
Our server did admit they were slightly terrified about the first day, but during our meal it didn’t show,aside from Gary Usher opening the door himself on our arrival. I don’t expect you’ll be getting that every day.
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That said, the controversial £19.50 burger mysteriously disappeared from the menu just before opening day came around. It just wasn’t perfect, so we’re told, so it didn’t make the cut. Still you can’t criticise them for caring too much, that’s for sure.
This new opening is not trying to reinvent the wheel, at all. If anything, it’s just returning to what the wheel used to be. Comforting classics, done well, with decent pints and an attractive wine list that won’t break the bank (£22 for a bottle).
We do love a good country pub at The Manc, and this is definitely one of them.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
adidas and JD are giving away FREE Nell’s pizza with a Manchester Marathon medal
Daisy Jackson
Manchester Marathon finishers will be able to reward themselves with free Nell’s pizza this weekend, thanks to a collaboration with adidas and JD.
The sportswear giants will be teaming up with one of the city’s top pizza spots to hand out the ultimate post-race reward at Kampus this Sunday.
It’s all to celebrate the launch of the new adidas EVO SL ATRs, a shoe that’s built with running miles in mind.
And there’ll be a chance to grab an exclusive t-shirt too, and have your official marathon finish time branded on-site.
adidas and JD are giving away FREE Nell’s pizza with a Manchester Marathon medal / Credit: Supplied
As well as a free slice of Nell’s famous New York-style pizza and a drink, Manchester Marathon finishers will be able to enter into a range of giveaways, with prizes including the EVO SL ART, adidas merch, and range of other prizes.
And you’ll be recovering with a slice in hand and a live DJ keeping the post-race energy high
All you need to do is show your Manchester Marathon medal at Nell’s at Kampus, to grab your free slice, and check out adidas and JD’s latest drop.
Friends and family are encouraged to join too – after all, all runners know a marathon isn’t possible without that support crew.
There are also a bunch of giveaways and more to look forward to / Credit: Supplied
Pizza slices will be handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis, so make sure your sprint to Nell’s is your fastest yet.
Thankfully, the adidas EVO SL’s are built for speed…
adidas x JD x Nell’s – Manchester Marathon event
Taking place on Sunday 19 April, from 12pm to 8pm
Free pizza slice and a drink when you show your Manchester Marathon medal (while stocks last)
Exclusive merch and great prize giveaways from adidas and JD
Plus photo moments, live DJs, and more
Find it at The Bungalow, Kampus, M1 3GL (next to Nell’s)
Sacha Lord set to back local hospitality again with money behind the bar of one Greater Manchester pub
Danny Jones
Local figure Sacha Lord is once again looking to help support Greater Manchester’s food and drink scene once again this spring by putting a total of £2.5k behind the bar of one lucky pub.
Well, let’s be honest, we’re about to be the real lucky ones.
It’s far from the first time that the Night Time Economy Advisor has done this, having previously put sizeable sums towards shared tabs on a few ocassions over the last few years.
Lining up his next handout for this coming early May bank holiday (perfect timing), it’s going to be a super and potentially very sloppy Sunday…
Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester.
Bank Holiday Sunday 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.
Sharing the video above online earlier this week, the 54-year-old simply wrote, “Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester. Bank Holiday Sunday, 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.”
The message is as straightforward as ever: “Support your local pub.”
Now obviously, the fact that people can reply with their go-to boozers and help influence the decision is one thing – something that has certainly always created an attraction each time he’s done this – but it’s also just a good way of marketing these watering holes to begin with.
Whether or not someone’s favourite public house tucked away in one of the 10 boroughs, or their bar of choice here in Manchester city centre, ends up being selected or not, it’s obviously great publicity having their names plastered on a notable social media account.
This is especially so when you see how much the post itself ends up being reshared and the overall exposure Lord ultimately lends them via creating such a big crowd discussion.
Here’s hoping we get proper beer garden weather over that long weekend.
It’s also worth noting that the further support stunts like this have helped garner support for other regional businesses – in particular, indies that are battling the cost of living crisis and so many other challenges within the sector – has proved crucial for some places to stay open to begin with.
A good example is the Thirsty Korean, who teamed up with the Altrincham-born entrepreneur to cover hundreds of bills back in 2023, and has now been able to expand into a larger venue down the road from their original Chorlton location.
The obstacles facing the hospitality industry remain varied and numerous, but gestures like this can go a long way to helping prop up those who need it.
Georgina Pellant -
3rd March 2023 
