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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Government officially approves Eton’s plan to ‘remove barriers’ and open new FREE college in Oldham
Emily Sergeant
Eton’s plans to open a new free college in Oldham will officially go ahead following Government approval this week.
In case you need bringing up to speed a bit, plans for three new post-16 colleges – with the other two being in Dudley and Middlesborough – that are designed to help give young people who’ve done well in their GCSEs the opportunity to achieve the A-Levels they need to go to Oxbridge and other elite universities across the world were first announced back in March 2022, and then given the green light in August 2023.
Eton has partnered with Star Academies – which is said to be the highest-performing state school trust in the country – for the new colleges.
The colleges will aim to recruit ‘dynamic young people from deprived communities’, including in Oldham, and provide them with a ‘rigorous and rounded education’ that supports their ambitions to achieve places at ‘the very best universities’.
Oldham Council has welcomed the news that the new college – set to be named Eton Star Oldham – will go ahead, after the Government confirmed the conclusion of its national review into the proposals.
The decision means that Oldham will become one of the first places in the country to offer this new education model that combines high standards with strong partnerships and expanded opportunities for local young people.
The Government has officially approved Eton’s plan to open a new free college in Oldham / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Approval means pupils from every background will soon have access to the ‘very best’ opportunities.
Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Coucil, said this is ‘great news’ for Oldham, adding: “Eton Star Oldham will give our young people access to life-changing opportunities, no matter their background or where they start in life.
“We have been clear throughout that this must be a college shaped with our young people, our parents and our communities.
“Now that the Government has confirmed it will go ahead, we will work closely with Eton College and Star Academies to make sure this delivers for Oldham’s children and opens doors for generations to come.”
Work will now begin on the detailed next steps – including design, delivery, and engagement with families and communities.
It’s also been confirmed that the college will be built on the current Tommyfield Market car park site in Oldham town centre.
Featured Image – Oldham Council
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Former Salford Red Devils player planning phoenix club after the team’s collapse
Danny Jones
A former Salford Red Devils player is planning to start a phoenix club from the ashes of the fallen rugby league team.
Retired winger Mason Caton-Brown, who played for the Red Devils between 2014 and 2016, is leading the consortium currently being linked with resurrecting the Salford side.
The Greater Manchester sporting institution sadly folded following liquidation on 3 December after a prolonged period of uncertainty and crippling debts.
Despite investors promising funds and multiple adjournments to their winding-up ceremony, time simply ran out and now Caton-Brown and co. are, hopefully, looking to pick up the pieces.
Heading up the move to bring back the beloved outfit, the former chairman of the ‘Forever Reds Supporters Trust’ (FRST), Malcolm Crompton, local entrepreneurs Paul Hancock and Ashley Washington are also assisting with the proposal.
Simply known as ‘The Phoenix Bid’, they are said to have potentially secured a six-figure sum and have already reached some provisional pre-contract agreements with a new coach and several players ahead of the formal offer being taken into consideration.
Publishing a lengthy mission statement on social media earlier this week, the ex-pro wrote: “I moved to Salford from London over 10 years ago, and the club and city welcomed me with open arms.
“It made me who I am today. The Salford City community is like no other, and the club is a big part of that, so when I saw it was at risk of going under, I truly felt the need to be a part of a solution and give back to the club, city and the community.
“But I’m not on my own, I’m part of a team of people that are passionate about what this club means and truly focused on making sure a true Salford RLFC stays alive and is something the fans and the city can call their own.”
Chatting with BBC Sport Manchester in a recent interview, the 32-year-old Enfield-born athlete turned businessman – who also represented the London Broncos and Wakefield Trinity – claims that conversations with investors and stakeholders are progressing nicely.
🗣️ "We are looking to bring this club back to life"
Former Salford winger Mason Caton-Brown has outlined his plans for a new phoenix club.
Salford fans, make sure to listen back to last night's Total Sport.
Signing off the post with a strong assurance, he said: “If our bid is successful, I promise we will do everything we can to protect the club and build a future Salford can be proud of.”
As for the fans, a spokesperson for the aforementioned supporters’ trust dubbed the prospective personnel spearheading the revival as a “powerful and credible team”, with Caton-Brown promising to reveal all the exciting details if the bid gets green-lit.
Speaking in an official press release shared with The Manc, the one-time Jamaican international and adopted Salfordian added: “This isn’t just about rebuilding a club, it’s about rebuilding belief.
“Salford means everything to me as a club and is part of my story. We want to create something the city can be proud of again; a club that stands for honesty, sustainability, and genuine community connection.”
“We’re inviting the people of Salford to stand with us. Together we can rise again, not just to bring rugby league back to this city, but to make sure it thrives for generations to come.”
Do you think The Phoenix Bid will be successful and, more importantly, do you think this group are the right people to bring the club back and get them moving onwards and upwards again?
Georgina Pellant -
7th March 2022 
