A pub in Lancashire has come under fire from diners after asking them to pay £1.50 extra to add a Yorkshire pudding or more gravy onto their roast dinner.
Unhappy diners have left reviews saying they would never return, blasting the pub for adding on the extra charges -with one saying they were left ‘totally disgusted’.
However, the owner has defended the extra charges – saying that they are justified because the Yorkies and gravy are both homemade.
One customer said they would never return to the pub, as they found the extra charge for their Yorkshire pudding – not included with the roast – to be completely outrageous.
The guest, named Steve, left a one-star review of his experience, writing: “Went there for a Sunday roast. In all my life I have never been in a restaurant for a roast beef dinner and told it does not include a Yorkshire pudding.
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Image: The Kicking Donkey
“It costs an extra £1.50 and if you want gravy with that, it also costs an extra £1.50.
“Totally disgusted. We will never be going back there. First visit. Never again.”
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A quick look at the sample Sunday roast menu on The Kicking Donkey’s website shows a standard roast priced at £12.95, with no mention of additional charges for Yorkies or more gravy.
The Kicking Donkey in Omskirk, Lancashire, ranks at #5 of 67 restaurants in the area and boasts a Travellers’ Choice Award, with an overall rating of 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor.
Image: The Kicking Donkey
189 diners have rated it as ‘Excellent’, however, it seems that not everyone agrees – with some diners left completely outraged at being asked to pay £1.50 to add either a Yorkshire pudding or extra gravy onto their roast dinners.
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Steve was not the only to complain about the extra charges, with another diner named Larry also leaving a review to register his disappointment.
Larry wrote: “Roast dinner was bland, hardly any taste. You want a Yorkshire pudding or more gravy, fine, but you need to pay extra.
“Dogs allowed in eating areas, not great idea – so not for me. Tried it, but no more.”
Image: The Kicking Donkey
Its owner, writing online as Matt F, has replied to both reviews – justifying the extra charges for both Yorkshire puddings and more gravy on the basis that they are both homemade from scratch.
In a reply to Steve, he wrote: “Hi Steve. Sorry to have upset you so much.
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“The reason we charge for Yorkies and extra gravy is that they’re both home-made from scratch.
“In the past, people have asked for extra and then it comes back untouched.
“I believe that the staff’s work should be reflected in their pay, and so we do need to charge for things like this. They cost us money to make.
“It’s a disappointment to hear that you won’t dine with us again, but I felt at the very least you were owed an explanation.”
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Notably, on their December Christmas menu, the pub has now released a beef dish with a Yorkshire pudding included for just £13.95.
Feature image – The Kicking Donkey
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Manchester has been named one of the most ‘caring’ cities in the UK
Emily Sergeant
A new study has revealed the cities which are deemed to be the most ‘caring’ in the UK, and Manchester features proudly on the list.
Because of course it does.
In case you missed it, last week, our city was awarded the not-so-coveted title of the UK’s rudest city, which, it’s fair to say, definitely got Mancs talking, and had a lot of people in denial too, as they just couldn’t seem to wrap their heads around the bold claims.
But now, we’ve got a new title that brushes those claims of rudeness right under the carpet… and that’s because Manchester has also been named one of the most ‘caring’ cities in the UK.
Now, that sounds more like the Manchester we know and love, right?
From donating blood, to volunteering for charity and helping out with neighbourhood tasks, there’s so many ways to lend a hand and support your local community – but which UK cities are the best at this? Ultimately, which UK cities are the most caring? Well, in a bid to answer this question, the life insurance team over at Compare the Market has analysed 30 of the country’s most populated cities to determine which of them are the most ‘community-minded’.
Manchester has been named one of the most ‘caring’ cities in the UK / Credit: iStockPhoto
The research study has taken into account a wide range of factors – with everything from recycling habits, the amount of fly-tipping incidents, and crime levels, to the number of charities, blood drives, and community centres in each city considered.
Manchester has found itself firmly within the top five, claiming the third spot on the list, largely thanks to having the highest number of charities per 10,000 people of any location in the whole study (52), which equates to an impressive 2,063 in total – with 31 of these dedicated to animals.
Top 10 most ‘caring’ cities in the UK
Leeds
Bradford
Manchester
Milton Keynes
Wolverhampton
Reading
Bristol
Hull
Cardiff
Coventry
There’s also plenty of opportunities to give blood here in Manchester too, with nine blood donation centres dotted around the city, as well as 51 community centres for anyone looking for a supportive space, or for somewhere that might offer activities or volunteer projects to get involved with.
The North features heavily within the top 10, with the Yorkshire cities Bradford and Hull also finding themselves on the list, and the title of the UK’s most ‘caring’ city also being awarded to the ever-popular Yorkshire city of Leeds.
Eurovision 2024 final to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester next month.
Following the success of the first-ever live streams of Europe’s biggest party onto the big screen when it was held on British soil in Liverpool last year, cinemas up and down the UK are set to come together once again to celebrate 2024’s edition of the major night in the music calendar by hosting the ultimate viewing events.
The epic Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final on Saturday 11 May will be broadcast live on BBC One, and streamed into more than 100 cinemas nationwide – including several in Greater Manchester.
Hosted by CinemaLive, the live stream events will allow Eurovision fans to gather under one roof and be “united by music” to share in the unbeatable experience of celebrating the brightest and boldest music party of the year on the big screen.
Eurovision 2024 final to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester / Credit: Cinema Live | Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)
You may remember that Sweden is hosting Eurovision this year, following the Scandinavian country’s well-deserved victory at the 2023 contest with the song ‘Tattoo’ performed by Loreen.
But thanks to these live stream events, you won’t need to make the trip to Malmö to get in on the action, as you’ll just need to nip down to your nearest participating cinema instead.
Not only will the long-awaited final of the show be streamed live onto the big screen in 5.1 surround sound, but fans are invited to bring their Eurovision parties from the front room to the cinema instead, as organisers say fancy dress is “heavily encouraged” as are enthusiastic sing-alongs too.
The Eurovision Grand Final will be in Cinemas on May 11, 2024! Get your tickets now! https://t.co/4KBeOZ6DT7
Speaking ahead of the event next month, John Travers from distributors CinemaLive, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the BBC to bring Eurovision’s grand final live into cinemas across the UK for the second year in a row.
“We want audiences to enjoy themselves, so come along in groups, get your fancy dress on, and join together to enjoy this incredible occasion on the big screen”.
Tickets are now live and available to book at your local cinema here.
Some of the participating Greater Manchester cinemas include Vue Manchester Printworks, Everymans in Manchester city centre and Altrincham, The Light in Stockport, and Cineworld in Didsbury, among others.
Georgina Pellant -
13th December 2021 
