A historic pub in Cheshire has just undergone a huge refurb, and, as part of the makeover, its exterior has been plastered with a giant mural of Winston Churchill.
The controversial former Prime Minister appears in larger-than-life form on the back wall of the 130-year-old boozer.
He is now depicted at the Swan and Chequers in giant form smoking an equally gigantic cigar, alongside huge capital letters that read: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
The new mural nods to pub’s history, having once welcomed Churchill in 1945 to make a speech.
However, whilst in 2002 Churchill beat out the likes of Shakespeare, Darwin and Brunel to be voted the greatest ever Briton, in recent years racial remarks of his have come under scrutiny – leading some to consider the wartime PM one of the UK’s most intensely controversial figures.
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According to John Charmley, author of Churchill: The End of Glory, the former Prime Minister certainly believed in racial hierarchies and eugenics, and in 1937 Churchill told the Palestine Royal Commission: “I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America or the black people of Australia.
“I do not admit that a wrong has been done to these people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, a more worldly wise race to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.”
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The new Churchill mural is just one new addition to the historic 130-year-old Sandbach boozer, which has been owned by its Stockport-based brewery landlord Robinson’s for nearly 100 years.
The pub, which started out as an old Corn Exchange, has some beautiful period features original stone signage dating back to the late 1800s.
After being shut for a year, it has reopened its doors and – alongside the new mural – it also features a new Victorian London underground theme.
Seating has been designed to mirror the 1950s metropolitan tube line, with railway pendant lighting and brown chequered tile work, as the mid-century London theme continues throughout.
Speaking on the refurbishment, Licensees Matt and Jaki Hurst said: “Our newly refurbished pub/bar was very well received over the weekend!
Image: Wikimedia Commons
“Customers enjoyed our new seating area outside in the sunshine, and we look forward to continued success. It’s been amazing meeting new customers as well as old.
“We’re also excited to launch our food menu this Thursday, with dishes such as homemade sourdough pizzas, kebabs, smashed burgers, a soft-shell crab burger and 13 small plates to choose from.”
Team behind award-winning cocktail bar Stray to open second Manchester bar
Daisy Jackson
The team behind Manchester’s award-winning cocktail bar Stray have announced a second bar is on the way.
Bar Dos will be an all-new neighbourhood bar, promising to be the ‘tearaway younger sibling’ of Stray.
You can expect everything from pints of Stella to refined cocktails, plus DJs all weekend long.
Set to open very soon, with a September launch pencilled into our diaries already, Bar Dos will be joining a couple of other big names in a new building on Great Ancoats Street.
They’ll count Proloco and Osma as neighbours once all three ventures are up and running this year.
Stray first opened at Mackie Mayor back in 2023, and shot into the UK’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars just over a year later.
Bar Dos will open in Manchester in SeptemberBar Dos is the second site for Stray
There, it occupies a beautiful corner unit with huge windows, and an outside terrace, perfect for sipping on their best-selling cocktails like their tomato vine margarita and their Fanta Limon (a boozy version of everyone’s favourite balcony tipple).
Now ready to launch a second site, the team will soon open Bar Dos, which will be a late-night, music-focused neighbourhood bar.
DJs already announced, along with renowned artists who have curated playlists, include Space Afrika, Chunky, Private Joy, Konnie Kon of Children of Zeus, and Stray residents Rhod Parry and Stu Richards.
Bar Dos will open on Great Ancoats Street this September.
SpudBros are returning to the Trafford Centre following HUGELY successful debut
Emily Sergeant
Viral internet sensation SpudBros are returning to the Trafford Centre following their hugely successful debut.
Following the ‘overwhelming’ success of their first Trafford Centre residency earlier this summer, the UK’s most-followed jacket potato creators SpudBros are returning to the iconic retail destination for a second pop-up later this month.
Shoppers will once again be able to tuck into freshly prepared, fully loaded jacket potatoes served up in minutes, all without compromising on quality, flavour, or portion size.
The SpudBros – also known as Jacob and Harley Nelson – will, once again, be returning as part of Trafford Centre‘s annual summer fair.
At the pop-up, you’ll be able to pick from fan favourites like the Tram Classic, which is loaded with garlic butter, the signature three-cheese mix, beans, crispy onions, and world-famous ‘tram’ sauce, to the Spudfather topped with chilli con carne, tuna, and coleslaw.
There’s also a range of other flavour-packed options to tuck into, alongside the option to build your own potato, allowing every customer to create their perfect lunch.
“The response to our first week at Trafford Centre was incredible, so we couldn’t be more excited to return,” commented SpudBros co-founder, Jacob Nelson.
Viral internet sensation SpudBros are launching a special pop-up at Trafford Centre this summer / Credit: The Manc Group
“Manchester has always shown us so much support online and it was amazing to finally bring SpudBros to the city. We’re looking forward to serving even more visitors and welcoming back everyone who came to see us the first time around.”
Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “SpudBros was a fantastic addition to our summer line-up and proved hugely popular with our visitors, so we’re delighted to welcome the team back for a second pop-up.”
The SpudBros pop-up will be located outside The Great Hall next week from Monday 24 to Saturday 29 August, serving signature loaded potatoes daily from 12-8pm.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd August 2023 
