Out & About
Warm up winter at the new-look White Horse
Regulars and new faces alike are enjoying the fresh new look and cosy atmosphere at The White Horse following its recent revamp, which has made the popular Harpenden pub an even lovelier place to enjoy good food and drink and good company.
The pub’s been constantly busy since being taken over by the award-winning Peach Pub Company eight years ago, with general manager Jon Waterhouse and his team working hard to ensure the food and atmosphere are always at their best. With so many guests beating a path through the doorway, the time had come to give the pub a new lease of life, as he explains.
“The White Horse is a really lovely, historic pub, that’s full of character and charm,” he says. “We definitely wanted to keep it that way so our new look has been carefully planned to bring out its best features whilst revitalising the interior and give it a stylish new look.
“There are lots of cosy spaces, especially the bar and the eatery beyond with its wooden rafters and stripped wooden flooring, so we’ve restored these and added elegant new furniture, furnishings, lighting and accessories to create a really smart but comfortable space,” he says.
The beautiful eatery has gorgeous sofa style seating in rich rusts and newly upholstered chairs in soft greys, rounded out by a vibrant yellow feature wall and full length curtains at one end. Natural wood and wicker give the place a warm glow, with clusters of smaller tables and one mid height table seating eight comfortably that’s already getting rapidly booked up for celebration dinners and special occasions.
The snug is decorated in rich reds and corals, with hand-printed wallpapers in nature-inspired prints softening the walls. As well as tub chairs covered in toning yellow and cream fabrics, there are new tall tables and stools in luxurious velvets creating perfect spots to sit and sip on a glass of something chilled.
The front bar, meanwhile, retains its traditional look with the wooden panelled walls painted in deep burgundy, the warm glow from copperware hung above the bar and from the original brick fireplace with its roaring fire, the perfect antidote to chillier days and evenings.
Tucked away upstairs the pub’s private dining room is freshly decorated and fitted with a new TV and laptop compatible presentation facilities, making it the ideal option for meetings and business lunches as well as for drinks and dinner parties for up to 14 guests.
Head chef Dan Kennie, who trained in Marco Pierre White restaurants, has come up with a choice of delectable new dishes for everything from light lunches to hearty suppers. Cornish Lamb Scrumpets, deliciously crisp on the outside with a filling of meltingly soft lamb inside and a punchy salsa verde make a great snack with a good pint of ale, as does potted native crab with toasted sourdough.
Mains vary from a filling free-range chicken and ham pie with silky buttered mash, greens and a rich jus to locally sourced Woburn venison haunch served with Boulangère potatoes, roasted carrots and a warming port and juniper jus. Vegan friendly Sri Lankan sweet potato and cashew curry accompanied by chapati, lime pickle and coconut sambal as well as grilled calves liver with smoked bacon, kale and mash are also going down well.
The White Horse keeps an excellent pint, like Sidepocket for a Toad from the Tring Brewery which goes with big spicy flavours as well as drinking well on its own. Seasonal guest ales make regular appearances on the bar, whilst Wolfpack Pilsner brewed by former Saracens rugby players Alistair Hargreaves and Chris Wyles is a permanent fixture.
The White Horse is also a magical place for Christmas celebrations. On the menu is bronze, free range turkey from Worcester, Cornish lamb, British beef and responsibly sourced fish. Spiced sweet potato and kale pie with spinach and wild mushrooms or fillet of sea bream with leeks, white beans, mussels and white wine make for deliciously different options alongside traditional roast turkey. With the big day less than a month away, book today and enjoy a proper feast. What’s more, for each guest who enjoys a Christmas meal, The White Horse will donate 25p to Shelter to help those affected by homelessness.
“We’re very pleased with our new look which has given the pub a new lease of life, but most importantly, so are our guests,” says Jon. “They are here with their friends and family enjoying what’s on offer and feeling right at home in our lovely, cosy pub, which is positively glowing! Come and join them by paying us a visit soon – we look forward to welcoming you.”
The White Horse is on Redbourn Lane, Hatching Green, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JP, minutes from Harpenden town centre. To book a table for lunch, dinner or for a Christmas celebration, please go to https://www.thewhitehorseharpenden.co.uk/booking-stage-1/, email
thewhitehorse@peachpubs.com or call 01582 469290
Let the fun be-gin at De Vere Latimer Estate, set in the heart of Buckinghamshire in the Chess Valley, with their indulgent gin lovers break priced from £185 per room*. The gin package includes an overnight stay with a £26 dinner voucher per guest and a gin cocktail each, followed by breakfast the following morning.
Relax with a complimentary G&T in the hotel’s Huntley Bar, a cosy bar which offers views across the estate’s gardens and sweeping views of the Chiltern Hills. During their stay, guests can also opt to visit the nearby Griffiths Brothers Gin distillery, located just 15 minutes away, for a tour of the distillery with tastings to be enjoyed along the way and to learn how Griffiths Brothers Gins are produced.
Spend the evening in 1838 Restaurant & Bar which celebrates classic British dishes where you’ll discover locally sourced, seasonally inspired menus with dishes including lemon & herb marinated pork tenderloin; Casterbridge 28 days dry aged 8oz Sirloin steak; grilled fillet of sustainable sea bream; and rigatoni alla parmigiana. As part of the package, guests will have up to £52 to spend between them in the restaurant during their stay.
De Vere Latimer Estate, located in the Chess Valley in Buckinghamshire, has plenty of activities on the doorstep. Why not borrow a pair of Hunter wellies and explore the beautiful 10-mile Chess Valley Walk on the hotel’s doorstep to discover a wealth of wildlife, historic buildings, water meadows and nature reserves.
Afterwards, guests can head back to the hotel where they can opt for some R&R in the pool, sauna and steam room or, enjoy a board game in The Library – a secluded spot ideal for relaxing with a drink in hand or indulging in a delicious afternoon tea.
This summer, open-air cinema screenings, picnic theatre and a food festival will come to Waddesdon Manor for some fantastic seasonal culture in the outdoors.
The Luna Cinema will pitch up in the grounds and screen four blockbuster films, with the 19th-century chateau serving as a picturesque backdrop. After arriving via a path lit with festoon lighting, visitors can enjoy the full service of the on-site Luna bar for refreshments and food.
Champagne may be the apt choice on the first night with Baz Luhrman’s spectacular take on The Great Gatsby (Wed 13 Sept) starring Leonardo Di Caprio. While the director’s latest, the Oscar-nominated biopic Elvis (Thurs 14 Sept), follows on the following day to fill the garden setting with Presley’s signature rock and roll. Then a modern classic, as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Fri 15 Sept), the film that kicked off one of the biggest film series of all time, will make Friday evening a nostalgic start to the weekend. The final screening will be the smash-hit of last year Top Gun: Maverick (Sat 16 Sept), starring Tom Cruise and widely cited as a saviour of big-screen cinema.
At the end of August, visitors will be transported back to Elizabethan times with the open-air production of Romeo and Juliet (Thurs 24 Aug) by the internationally-acclaimed The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the UK’s premier all-male company. It will be a unique opportunity to watch the traditional performance in the atmospheric grounds of one the UK’s most beautiful settings. Alongside Elizabethan dress, music and dances, and with the all-male cast, guests can watch the tragedy in a similar manner to how Shakespeare’s original tale would’ve been viewed by the public, except with the extra comfort of enjoying your own picnic in the garden.
If you cannot wait for the second half of summer to see some Shakespeare, then the Unbound Theatre company will have you covered with their free picnic performance of the comedy Much Ado About Nothing (Sun 23 July)at 2pm. They will also return for another free performance of their original play Gertrude & Dorothy (Sun 20 Aug), a crime caper throwing together the noted horticulturalist and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, and Britain’s first racing driver Dorothy Levitt, for three separate showings throughout the day.
Adding to the summer heat will be Chilli Fest (Fri 1 – Sun 3 Sept) a weekend festival featuring handpicked exhibitors, all passionate about chilli, bringing the best of local artisan condiments, sauces, and chutneys to the Manor grounds. Around 70 stalls will offer up the taste of some of the most delicious chilli-food from the UK, so you can pitch up with a picnic in the sunny grounds to enjoy for the day, and then choose your favourite condiments to take home. There will also be a range of bars and distilleries, offering everything from local vineyards to flavoursome cocktails, making the perfect refreshments after a walk in the gardens. Along with live music and activities for young ones, and with a special late-night opening on Saturday, Chilli Fest is the perfect way to enjoy the last of the summer sunshine.
Of course, if you want to escape the sun for a while, Waddesdon Manor’s impressive permanent collection will be available inside. For first-time visitors or regular guests, there’s plenty to see and enjoy, including the newly restored Musical elephant automaton, the rare Sèvres pot-pourri vase, and works by Guardi, Reynolds, Gainsborough and Watteau.
Alongside the entire summer programme, which includes more theatre shows suitable for the whole family, Waddesdon Manor is set to be the perfect late summer outing for friend meetups, evening drinks, and relaxed afternoon picnics, enjoying the most exciting culture of cinema, theatre and food in a glorious summer setting.
There are limited places available for the events mentioned above, please visit the Waddesdon Manor summer holidays webpage to book and not miss out.
Wicksteed Park’s Garden Wheel has been shortlisted for the Best New Ride at the UK Theme Park Awards.
The Northamptonshire attraction’s historic Water Chute was also nominated for the Best Water Ride and the Park received a third nomination as the Best Theme Park with Animals.
Now in its fourth year, the awards give the British public the chance to vote for their favourite theme parks in national awards recognising the best new rides and attractions, shows and events. Voting will open on 22nd July at ukthemeparkawards.com.
The awards are organised by ThemeParks-UK.com, an independent consumer guide to UK theme parks. In 2023, the awards are being presented in association with AttractionTickets.com.
“We’re delighted to have been nominated in three different categories and it’s obviously particularly exciting to be shortlisted with the Garden Wheel for the best new ride,” said Wicksteed Park’s Carly Redington.
“We are up against some stiff competition with the likes of Legoland Windsor and Thorpe Park but it’s great to get recognition for our ongoing investment programme in the park alongside one of our heritage rides,” she added.
Opened in May, the 25-metre-tall Garden Wheel features 18 gondolas and provides stunning views out across the Kettering attraction and the surrounding countryside. The Ferris wheel, which can accommodate up to 72 passengers, is situated at the top end of the park and is included in the price of a wristband.
Alongside Wicksteed Park other major contenders for the awards include Alton Towers and Drayton Manor in Staffordshire, Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire, Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey, LEGOLAND Windsor in Berkshire and Paultons Park in Hampshire.
There are 22 categories this year, including Theme Park of the Year, Best New Attraction, Best Customer Service and Best Value. New categories include Best Reimagined Attraction, Best Theme Park with Animals and Best Themed Coaster.
In advance of the public vote, a shortlist has been compiled using public nominations and with the help of a panel of expert judges including Paul Kelly (Chief Executive of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions) and Andy Hine MBE (Chairman – Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain).
More than 25,000 nominations were received, with a total of 35 theme parks nominated for awards in 2023.
The Garden Wheel is part of an ongoing programme of investment in the Park which has included the launch of the new Galaxy Invaders ride, Meerkat Manor, Wicky Bear’s Theatre and Wicky’s Farmyard over the past two years.
Wicksteed Park provides a great value day out for all the family. Entry to the park is free. Ride and attraction tickets can either be purchased individually at £3 per person or alternatively day wristbands are available at £22 for unlimited access to all rides and attractions (with the exception of Wicky’s Play Factory).
