Eating
The Swan Salford & Black Horse Woburn open with new Spring menus
If, after months of being inside, you’re planning to make a beeline to your local pub garden when they re-open, here are two fantastic options you won’t want to miss to sit outside and embrace the joys of Spring!
The Swan at Salford near Milton Keynes and its sister pub The Black Horse in Woburn have both now re-opened, offering a warm welcome to anyone who visits and the chance to raise a glass and celebrate being back at the pub.
Both pubs are back with plenty of the good stuff, with new menus for Spring and lots of new arrivals on the drinks list. Both are celebrating great British produce, from grass-fed beef and free-range pork and chicken to fish and top quality British cheeses. Cellars are well-stocked with real ales and the wine is chilling.
The Swan in Salford
The Swan is a great gastropub with a gorgeous garden in a lovely village setting just minutes from Milton Keynes. Its sunny terrace is a great place to sit back and relax as is its big garden. Here, you’ll find beautiful new round tables that seat six comfortably, perfect for an alfresco lunch or supper.
In front of the pub is a spacious stretch tent with plenty of spots for sitting and enjoying morning coffee or a sundowner, with stylish wooden tables and rattan chairs piled with comfy cushions and fleecy throws. At night it glows under warm white festoon lights with lanterns and wood-burning chimineas making an ideal setting for a candle-lit dinner.
Right in the middle of the pretty village of Woburn is The Black Horse. Behind its eighteenth century terraced frontage lies a secluded courtyard garden that’s an excellent sun-trap. It has comfy chairs and tables under cover of giant umbrellas, with new lighting and heating for cooler evenings.
Both pubs are welcoming groups of up to six people from any number of households or groups of two households, for good food and drink and great hospitality. So whether it’s a midweek lunch with friends, a family roast or a gathering to mark a special occasion, book a table today.
Delicious food is being served all day, from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. There are deli plates for sharing, seasonal main course dishes and a good choice of vegetarian and vegan options.
It’s easy to order either from the pubs’ friendly teams or by using your mobile. Pick up a card when you arrive and you’ll be just a few clicks away from something tasty to eat or refreshing to drink. And if you want it to go, you can also pick up your evening Supper or Sunday roast.
Peach Partner Frazer Sutherland who looks after the pubs says, “It was a long time coming but the great day when we could at last welcome people back finally came, and what a day it was,” says Peach Partner Frazer Sutherland. “The changes we have made at the pubs mean we can do just that and do it really well, whatever the weather. We’ve created the ideal setting for people to celebrate getting back together again and enjoy being back at their local. Make sure you come and see us soon.”
The Swan playing host to #lunchNbloggers
Both pubs are now taking bookings outdoors for groups of up to six, or up to two households and are open Monday to Sunday from 12pm to 11pm. The Swan serves food Monday to Saturday from 12pm to 9pm and on Sunday from 12pm to 8pm, while The Black Horse’s kitchen is open Monday to Saturday from 12pm to 8.45pm and on Sunday from 12pm to 8pm.
You can also enjoy some of your favourite dishes from either pub by treating yourself to a Peach at Home box, now available nationwide. Starters, mains, sides and puds are all masterfully prepared and ready for you to finish in your own kitchen. Just the ticket if you’re celebrating, in need of a break from cooking, looking for a gift or simply want to have our great food at home. https://www.makinglifepeachy.com/peach-at-home/
The Swan is at 2 Wavendon Road, Salford, Milton Keynes, MK17 8BD. Tel: 01908 281008. https://www.swansalford.co.uk/ for bookings. The Black Horse is at 1 Bedford Street, Woburn MK17 9QB. Tel: 01525 290210. https://www.blackhorsewoburn.co.uk/ for bookings.
Love Brownies, a Yorkshire Dales-inspired chocolate brownie company, is to open a beautiful café and brownie shop in the heart of St Albans,creating a number of jobs and adding a premium brand to St Albans’ bustling high street.
Established in 2009, Love Brownies is known for its decadent brownies and delicious seasonal menus. Originating in the Yorkshire Dales, the brand has a growing network of brownie shops and cafés, with St Albans being the fifteenth to open in the UK. So what makes Love Brownies so outrageously delicious? It’s no secret: they bake each one individually, by hand, using the best ingredients possible.
The Love Brownies Range
The new Love Brownies shop in St Albans will offer a mouth watering menu of indulgent handmade chocolate brownies in a variety of tempting flavours, magnificent brownie milkshakes (with vegan alternatives), a range of premium, freshly-brewed coffees and the bold flavours of Northern Bloc ice cream.
Love Brownies’ Head Baker and Owner, Chantal Teal said: “The St Albans shop will be our first to open in Hertfordshire and we’re so excited to bring our award-winning brownies and delicious Dales-inspired menu to a brand new audience.
Inside Love Brownies St Albans
The inside of a Love Brownies is a unique blend of a cafe and shop. St Albans residents can pop in to the cafe for a drink and one of their fabulous brownies. Love Brownies merchandise and products can also be purchased in store. These include Love Brownies tea towels, Love Brownies mugs and Love Brownies aprons.
For those on the go, a delicious ‘Dales Kitchen’ breakfast and lunch menu with pastries and jam-packed sandwiches will also be available for St Albans residents.
Love Brownies’ Head Baker and Owner, Chantal Teal also said “The shop is in a fantastic location and we’re anticipating a busy summer! We’re so pleased to be bringing business into the area during a time that has been so difficult for so many and can’t wait to be a part of the St Albans community.”
Where to find Love Brownies in St Albans?
The new Love Brownies café will be located at Number 1, Market Place and will open to the public at 8am on Wednesday 21 July. For more information about Love Brownies or to see a sample menu visit www.lovebrownies.co.uk or follow @lovebrowniesbakery on Facebook and Instagram.
After a difficult 18 months of lockdowns and restrictions, St Albans residents can look forward to a laugh in the park as St Albans Comedy Garden brings laughs to Verulamium Park.
The all-new St Albans Comedy Garden promises the ultimate remedy this summer with five nights of stupendous stand-up comedy starring DARA O’BRIAIN, SARA PASCOE, ALAN DAVIES, TOM ALLEN, AISLING BEA, ROB BECKETT, JOSH WIDDICOMBE and many more in the glorious surroundings of Verulamium Park.
St Albans Comedy Garden line up
From Wednesday 28th July to Sunday 1st August comedy-lovers from St Albans and beyond will be treated to a dazzling array of stand-up superstars including the multi-award winning SARA PASCOE, the glorious DARA O’BRIAIN, observational wizard JOSH WIDDICOMBE, the stupendous ALAN DAVIES, riotous TOM ALLEN and the magnetic ROB BECKETT to name but a few.
Each show will be bursting with incredible acts featuring the very best names in stand-up like Netflix star PHIL WANG, British Comedy Award winner AISLING BEA, one-liner king MILTON JONES, Taskmaster champ LOU SANDERS, the undisputed queen of ventriloquism NINA CONTI, podcast heroes ED GAMBLE and JOHN ROBINS, stand-up champion REGINALD D HUNTER and the award-winning SINDHU VEE alongside fast-rising breakthrough talent like MAISIE ADAM, SARAH KEYWORTH and DARREN HARRIOT plus many (many!) more – all guaranteeing some much-needed uplifting hilarity for 2021.
St Albans Comedy Garden brings laughs to Verulamium Park
This series of magnificent mixed-bill shows will be presented in an open-air theatre set in St Alban’s beautiful Verulamium Park. The comedy extravaganza will be brim full with pop-up bars serving craft beers, summer-styled cocktails and more to wash down tasty morsels from the leading lights of the local street-food scene.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the Comedy Garden has been specially designed to reflect the Government’s Roadmap, with added flexibility should the event need to be adapted to suit current guidelines.
Laughs in Verulamium Park
All shows will take place in a fully-seated open-air theatre with tickets sold in multiples of two, these key features are designed to ensure a smooth transition should social distancing need to be introduced across the event. If necessary the theatre-style seating will be transformed into socially-distanced seating plots and walk-up bars and street-food stalls will be replaced with a deliver-to-seat drink and snack service.
St Albans Comedy Garden tickets
Tickets for some of the shows are already sold out. Tickets for Wednesday 28th July with headline act Josh Widdicombe are sold out. The same applies for the late show on Saturday 31st July headlined by Tom Allen and Sunday’s 3.30pm show headlined by Dara Ó Briain. All other tickets are available at this time. For more info on tickets, click here.
About St Albans Comedy Garden
The team behind the Comedy Garden, 57 Festivals, have already successfully delivered a covid-secure event with their Greenwich Comedy Festival in September 2020.
This new St Albans event is the latest venture from the London-based comedy event company run by sibling-team Will Briggs and Cass Randolph. The pair have spent the last decade building a reputation for delivering meticulous comedy programming in boutique-festival settings.
Starting back in 2009 with the Capital’s critically acclaimed Greenwich Comedy Festival, held annually at the National Maritime Museum, the pair went on to introduce their Comedy Garden event to Bristol in 2011, followed by Brighton in 2019, and they are now incredibly excited to be bringing their winning formula to the cultural heart of Hertfordshire.
Cass say “The live industry has had a tough time of late and so we feel very lucky to have been able to reimagine our events to suit these challenging times, and we’re especially proud to be introducing this new event.”
Will adds: “There’s no doubt that everyone deserves some excellent live entertainment and we can’t wait to bring exactly that to our new St Albans audience. We’re working closely with the local council and our suppliers to make sure we deliver an event that is safe and enjoyable for everyone – and above all very funny!”
This summer’s event is all set to be a rib-tickling remedy to the past year, so get your tickets now and be part of the first-ever St Albans Comedy Garden! Visit the website to find out more www.stalbanscomedygarden.co.uk
Today marks the opening of Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion in the historic market town of Wendover. Located in Buckinghamshire, it becomes the seventh site in the popular Bel & The Dragon group.
Located in the centre of Wendover, in the foothills of the Chilterns, the new country inn will emulate Bel & The Dragon’s distinctly cosy and classic manner and will be managed by Matt Coupland, an experienced General Manager.
Inside Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion Wendover
With 23 beautiful en suite bedrooms and an extensive selection of fine wine and British food, Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion will be a sought-after destination for weekday and weekend breaks. Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion is a historic grade II-listed coaching inn with stunning features dating back to 1669 and possibly earlier, with much of the original building still standing.
Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion has been sensitively restored this year, with the aim of providing a premium, contemporary English inn, with sophisticated charm and historic character and also offers alfresco dining with 160 covers in a beautifully created covered and heated patio area.
Dining at Bel & The Dragon Wendover
With an emphasis on provenance and quality, our team of talented chefs have created a menu full of modern adaptations of simple classics. Think Devonshire mussels in a cider and bacon broth to start, followed by sustainable Cornish fish and crayfish pie or salt-baked saddle of lamb with seasonal vegetables to share, as well as a range of daily specials.
The pudding menu will be full of theatre, including the Bel & The Dragon classic of a flaming Baked Alaska, served with salted caramel ice cream, providing a perfect end to any meal.
As with all Bel & The Dragon sites, Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion will offer an outstanding selection of wines at competitive prices. In addition, the comprehensive From the Cellar list includes some of the greatest vintages of the world’s most sought-after wines, and the use of the Coravin system allows guest to sample rare wines by the glass.
Word from the General Manager
Matt Coupland, who is originally from Lincoln, moved down to join Fuller’s eight years ago at The Paper Mill at Apsley Lock near Hemel Hempstead. After completing the Fuller’s Management Training Programme, and having acted as a holding manager at The Paper Mill, he moved to The Six Bells at Thame for his first general manager appointment. He subsequently moved to The Red Lion in Wendover and has played a key role in its transformation to a Bel & The Dragon.
Matt said: “This is a dream come true for me – it’s a fantastic site, in a great area, and Bel & The Dragon is an outstanding brand. I can’t wait to bring our fantastic menu and excellent wine list to the great and good of Wendover, and our stunning bedrooms to those who want to come and visit.
“I’m really looking forward to welcoming back locals and visitors alike and to working with the local neighbourhood to ensure Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion takes a place at the very heart of the community.”
Directions to Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion Wendover
Located in the centre of Wendover, in the foothills of the Chilterns, Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion is an easy commute from within Beds, Bucks & Herts.
Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion address
9 High St, Wendover, Aylesbury HP22 6DU
Love Brownies opens new cafe and shop in St Albans
St Albans Comedy Garden brings laughs to Verulamium Park
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