ASDA has announced the launch of a brand new range of speciality flavoured gins and it’s a throwback to some of our favourite childhood sweets.
The UK supermarket chain is releasing three new gins to its ever-expanding Extra Special spirits collection.
Each new gin flavour is inspired by the classic sweets we all know and love from childhood and they’re now available at stores across the UK, just in time for the scorching hot weather we’re set for this week.
The three new flavours are – Strawberry Laces, Rhubarb & Custard and Cola Cube.
Each bottle has an ABV of 40% and is perfect for teaming with a choice of tonic waters, or a zesty lemonade for the ideal summer tipple to sip in the garden as the temperatures hike up.
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If that wasn’t enough, they’re also infused with shimmery glitter too.
ASDA
Speaking on the release of the new gin collection, Marion Muir, Spirits Product Development Manager at ASDA, comments: “Novelty gins have become a summer essential for our customers who love to try innovative and wonderful flavours.”
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“The new range has been created to ensure the gins are both delicious to drink yet also dazzling to look at, delivering popular flavours we know the nation loves,”
“And at a great price point too.”
A 70cl bottle will set you back £18 and they’re available on shelves from today – Monday 22nd June.
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You can get your hands on this new Extra Special gin range online via the ASDA website here, or from in-store.
It’s advised that you check the opening times for your local store before making any trips and you can do so on the store locator here.
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Brits are petitioning to give ‘SIR’ Kevin Sinfield the knighthood he deserves
Danny Jones
An impassioned Brit, along with nearly 100,000 others, are championing a petition to give a Greater Manchester sporting role model a knighthood.
The UK is long overdue for a SIR Kevin Sinfield, if you ask us.
Yes, now five years after his first remarkable charity challenge in the form of his inaugural ‘seven in seven’ ultra-marathon, our very own Kevin Sinfield officially completed his sixth edition of the fundraising feat earlier this month.
Having now raised more than £1.2 million for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) in memory of his friend and former late, great, Leeds Rhinos teammate, Rob Burrow – and that just this year alone.
👏 An outstanding achievement!
🏃 Kevin Sinfield CBE completed his latest 7 in 7: Together Challenge this afternoon, raising over £1.1 Million for @mndassoc!
To take into account every penny he’s helped generate for the crucial neurological cause, he’s helped welcome in excess of £11 million since he started this tributary journey nearly six whole years ago.
Sinfield has become nothing short of a national hero over the last few years, and the people think it’s about time he is recognised with the highest honour.
The Oldham-born native has already been given a trio of notable awards, including an MBE, OBE and CBE, which also means he doesn’t technically qualify to be considered for a knighthood until 2027 at the very earliest.
However, the petition’s creator, Mel Handforth, believes that an exception should be made and the “arcane” rules around the New Year’s Honours should be changed to allow Sinfield (and, indeed, others) to be celebrated more promptly.
Even the Speaker for the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, is one of many to have argued for the stipulation to be scrapped.
Despite countless calls for him to be included in the most recent list, which saw the likes of David Beckham finally made a knight, he was overlooked due to the three-year gap protocol.
He also somehow missed out on being shortlisted for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, though you can guarantee he would have plenty of votes from the general public – especially here in the region and, indeed, over in his adopted second home of Yorkshire.
You can see who did make it onto this year’s list down below.
The same happened again at the Pride of Britain a year later, and the retired rugby league player turned union coach was also handed an honorary degree by the University of Leeds in July 2024, just a month after Burrow sadly passed away.
But Sinfield has quite literally had the backing of millions to be made ‘Sir Kevin’ for well over half a decade now; we made him our ‘Manc of the Month’ back in November ’22, and our stance on him being given a knighthood is even clearer now than it was back then.
As Handforth writes in the bio of the Change.org petition: “The words ‘legend’ and ‘hero’ are often handed out, but Kevin Sinfield truly embodies them both. He’s not doing this for recognition – he’s doing it because he cares deeply about the MND community and honouring his friend Rob’s legacy.
“Let’s show Kevin that his nation stands with him. Sign this petition to urge the Honours Committee to recognise Sir Kevin Sinfield for his remarkable service to humanity.”
If you agree, you can sign the petition to make him Sir Kevin Sinfield right HERE.
The Cut and Craft are hosting a bottomless Boxing Day brunch this year
Danny Jones
This holiday season, The Cut and Craft are hosting an extra lavish take on their usual bottomless brunch on Boxing Day.
Suddenly, we’re looking forward to 26 December maybe even more than our mam’s Christmas dinner…
Yes, the much-loved steak and seafood restaurant is already well-known for one of the best bottomless brunches in Manchester, not to mention evening meals, but they always elevate things even further over the festive period.
Promising top ingredients, the best booze labels you could ask for, as well as stunning service in an even more stunning room, you can’t go wrong if you’re looking to make the most of your toasts this Boxing Day – and don’t worry, vegetarians: there are some great options for you, too.
Typically held over a long weekend, The Cut and Craft bank holiday bottomless brunch will be held for the last time this year on the final Friday of 2025. You couldn’t ask for more perfect timing than that.
The group have transformed the beautiful room in the heart of the city into what they’ve dubbed “a scene straight out of Miracle on 34th Street.
Adorned with grand wreaths, the reliable warmth of twinkling fairy lights, stockings hanging in front of the fire in ‘The Gossip Room’, plus Santa guarding the wine cellar, the only thing more inviting than the space is the menu.
Besides the usual 90 minutes of non-stop Moët & Chandon champagne, as well as DJs, live entertainment and dancers, the food offerings include flat iron steak and chips served on a hot stone with a grilled tomato and signature salt.
If you prefer something to steer away from the red meat/have already had plenty over Christmas, you can go for grilled seabass with Duchess potatoes, gremolata, hazelnut and cauliflower sauce, OR opt for the halloumi fajitas packed with roasted peppers and onions, guacamole, salsa and chive sour cream.
You can even load these up even further with the addition of free-range British chicken breast, rump steak (if you change your mind on the day), and even king prawns.
We’re almost drooling just thinking about all this – as are our mates from The Hoot after confirming the same promotion is available at their equally gorgeous sites over in Leeds.
Veggie options are Cut & Craft’s ‘Redefine Flank Steak & Chips’ (tender flank-style cut of plant-based steak), or spicy cauliflower wings, served with broad beans, English garden peas, buckwheat, baby gem, baby spinach, broccoli couscous, toasted cashews, pistachio crumb, and maple-mustard dressing.
Once again, all of this can be tweaked here and there by the exceptional waiting staff; for instance, if you’d rather wine than champers, you can always swap the bubbly for Whispering Angel Rosé, which will be served straight from their limitless fountain.
Guests who fancy visiting Cut and Craft for Boxing Day 2025 can choose between a bar table with unlimited Whispering Angel drinks only from just £55, or go all out with a restaurant table and a dish from the set brunch menu starting from £75.
The full Moët fizz upgrade package will set you back £100, if you’re really looking to indulge yourself this year, and who could blame you? It’s a long, old winter, after all.
If you’re interested in securing your seat at 38-42 Mosley St, bookings are available from 1pm onwards, and you can reserve your table right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd June 2020 
