The North West Champions in the 2012 Countryside Alliance Awards (aka the Rural Oscars) have been announced, with top local businesses now going forward to the UK & Ireland final. The Awards are the Countryside Alliance’s annual celebration of rural produce, skills, enterprise and heritage through our small hard-working businesses. These are the eighth annual Awards and they have quickly become the rural business award to win. The hard-working and popular winners now go on to represent the region at the UK & Ireland finals at Parliament in Westminster on 13th March.

The Bulls Head was nominated by customers for its great use of Local Food/Produce. Lloyd our Head Chef and Ben our Landlord underwent vigorous questioning from judge and Countryside Alliance North of England Director Simon Hamlyn. Simon was impressed with our use of local suppliers in our ingredients as well as main menu dishes. Our use of Cheshire Game for our Game week and our Autumn and Christmas menus and our commitment to the village of Mobberley and the community. Our village notice board and our support of the local Church as well as supporting village events was appreciated too. This is the first time the Bulls Head has been recognised for such an award and we and the team are very proud to feature in the final. Once again we achieved second place with a ‘highly commended’ which was a great effort after only two and a half years of being open. Big thanks to all our customers who recommended us and gave us the chance to compete. Next year we will go for an ‘Oscar’!! The winner was actually from Cumbria which I guess makes us ‘champs’ of Cheshire for 2012…we’ll take that!!

The Local Food winner was Hawkshead Relish, Hawkshead, Cumbria www.hawksheadrelish.com This is a family-run business that diversified and grew out of the changes Foot & Mouth Disease brought to the countryside in 2001. Mark Whitehead’s homemade condiments created to enhance his café menu became a popular new business opportunity and Hawkshead Relish was born. From a range of 12 handmade preserves cooked up in small pans, the company gained recognition in the region. By 2003 the cafe was closed to allow the space needed for the ever growing demand, now country wide and housed in the Hawkshead Relish shop (a 16th century building) Hawkshead Relish hand make 122 preserves in small batches in open pans. All the selected ingredients are sourced through local suppliers and no artificial colourings, flavouring or preservatives are used. The range incorporates everything from Chutney to Jam, Mustard to Jellies and everything in-between. Mark Whitehead combines traditional recipes with his own new concepts creating innovative products. This is a true Cumbrian local business with local produce and the community at heart, even though the products are now exported to 24 countries.

Ben and the team have been entertaining the stars with nibbles and refreshments while a ‘pilot’ of a new programme was filmed using the famous Bulls Head as a back drop!!

The programme is called ‘The Home Office’ and it is about a stationary salesman played by Mr Russ Abbot himself (see picture).

The film crew were only at the Bully for one morning. Chris, who is one of the production team felt the Bulls Head made the perfect local Pub for Russ Abbots exploits.

When we have further details of viewing times etc. then we will let you know!!

‘Film star’ can now be added to the Bulls Heads many talents!!!

Can you believe our landlord Ben…he only recruited Russ and his ‘stationary’ VW Beetle as a ‘Goodfella’ Car Club Member while he was acting out a few scenes …how cheeky!!

RUSS ABBOTTS BEETLE

At last we have the famous photo of our very local regular Pete in his rather fetching Christmas Jumper!!!

Pete beat off stiff competition from a number of guests and Bulls Head team members to win first prize at the pub on Christmas day!!

So Pete our very own electrician lit up the pub with this snazzy number!!!

He is reigning now Christmas Jumper Champion 2012/3. Pete wins a rather nice bottle of red wine and a trophy will be working its way to him too.

To the proactive customers who fancy a go this year you have ’til Christmas Day 2013 to get your winning jumper!!!

BEN WITH THE TARTAN SCARF AND ROBBIE BURNS GREAT, GREAT NIECE!!!

Our own Ben Redwood, proud landlord and Robbie Burns’ fan ensured the ‘To a Haggis’ poem by Robbie himself was on the black board ready for our traditional ‘Burns Night’ celebrations.

Alongside ‘Tam o’ Shanter’ and ‘To a Mouse’, ‘To a Haggis’ is one of Robbie Burns most famous and regularly performed poems. Written in 1786 not long after Burns arrived in Edinburgh, this poem has become the centrepiece of Burns’ Suppers.

In Burns day haggis was not an everyday meal, and it could be described as a luxury item. As this was the case it is not beyond possibility that Robbie Burns’ ‘Address’ was ironic in its praise for the dish, and was pointing the finger at those who would revere it.

Anyway a bit of history there!!

As Ben ‘sold in’ the Haggis special, made wonderfully by Lloyd our chef, along with one or two other Scottish dishes and of course whiskies…………. one lady guest declared to Ben…

“Oh, I should have known it was Robbie Burns’ night, I am a distant relative!”

‘Well’, said Ben, ‘here is a photo opportunity if ever I saw one!’

So in the middle of Robbie Burns’ night at the Bulls Head, Ben and one of Robbie Burns distant relatives (on her grandmothers side) toasted a whisky, and recited the ‘address to a Haggis’, written, by none other, than her great, great uncle!!!

And what did Robbie Burns’ great, great niece order, to celebrate Burns night??! …. none other than a very English Fish and Bloomin’ Chips!!!!!!!!!!

Talk about letting the side down!

Sadly there were no kilts for the kilt competition as the snow was thick on the ground and we
Reckon the fellas were frightened of the effects of the cold!!

Let’s hope next year it is a little milder. Thank you to everyone who supported the evening and enjoyed the Haggis and a wee dram!!

AT CHOLMONDELEY

Loyal customer and very keen cyclist Jonathon is the first of our cycling customers to complete the ‘Cheshire Cat Pub to Pub to Pub (Trio) Challenge’.

Setting out from near Knutsford in pretty cold and snowy conditions Jonathon headed first to our Cholmondeley Arms Pub out near Malpas on the A49 heading to Whitchurch!! The picture shows just how snowy Cholmondeley was compared to the rest of the county. Having taken on a warm hot chocolate for energy, Jonathon then headed to our next pub the Three Greyhounds Inn at Allostock. Conditions here were much better for a cycling enthusiast. After another picture outside this pub it was on for the final leg of the journey to a rather misty Bulls Head before heading home for a hot shower and an early night. Just over 70 miles later without any performance enhancing drugs or a Steak and Ale Pie even!!! The respective pub teams gave Jonathon a warm welcome as well as helping with photo taking and ensuring he was back on his bike for the next leg of this journey!!

Jonathon commented “I was at a loss as to where to go on my Sunday ride today. So thought I would tackle that well known ride ‘The Cheshire Cat Trio’!! Cholmondley is a little further down the A49 than I thought and there was also more snow than I anticipated when I got there but I am thrilled to be the first of many to hopefully tackle the challenge!!”

Well done Jonathon a great effort and there is a Pie waiting at a pub of your choice from the trio as and when you have recovered!!!

If you are a keen cyclist and want to be listed as a ‘Cheshire Cat Trio Cycling Challenge beater’ then set out and ensure your photo is taken with your trusty bike at each pub with the signs in the background of each picture and send them to info@cheshirecatpubsandbars.co.uk. You will get your photo in our ‘hall of fame’ and we will send you a ‘refreshment voucher’ as well as a pint on us at the final pub!!

Thanks again to Jonathon for taking on the challenge and beating it!!!

AT THE BULLS HEAD

AT THE THREE GREYHOUNDS

Yes it is true Ben and the team welcomed Izzy the terrier to the Bulls head and this little dog picked up the honour of being the 5000th pet dog to use the Bulls Head in over two and a half years since we acquired and restored the pub.

Izzy’s owners Gareth and Helen received the fun pack of doggie treats which were presented to Izzy by the Bulls Head team!!

Remember you can bring your well behaved dog in to our ‘Whisky Snug’ and have an enjoyable drink and meal by the fire!!

Here’s to the next 5000!!!

Well Happy New Year!!! Even Santa and Rudolf were entertained over the festive season here at the Bulls Head as the picture shows!!

On behalf of landlord Ben, Our Deputies James, Shane and Philippa, Head Chef Lloyd and the entire team at the Bully plus of course Tim and Mary we wish everyone of our customers a very happy and prosperous new year. We also wish to thank everyone for supporting the Bulls Head through its third festive season since its restoration and indeed supporting us for the whole year!!!

Here’s to 2013!!! Let’s hope it is drier!!!

What a great week it was last week both at the Bulls Head celebrating 200 years as a pub in 2012 and amazingly the Cholmondeley Arms celebrated 150 years as a building, the old school house opening in 1862!! Cakes were baked, celebrations were had, Lord and Professor Ted did his birthday quizzes with great curry evenings on the nights too, Cholmondeley had its 2nd Annual Gin making competition and the Bulls Head had a jazz evening with the ‘smoooth’ old boys Laurie and Stewart. We are still waiting for the 5000th dog to stroll in to the Bulls Head to finish off the celebrations!!! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard on the week when all our Christmas specials ‘went live’ too. Thank you to all our customers who turned up in support and joined in the festivities!! It might become an annual event!!

Yes they are back!!

Our now famous Woolly Bully featured in Cheshire’s ‘In/Out’ Magazine as well as the usual suspects such as Lloyds Mulled Wine.

This year James our deputy has come up with a Mulled Cider special which is excellent!!

New this year is the Warm Butterscotch Apple Nog certainly worth a try!!

So if you are doing our pub walk and want to pop to warm the cockles then we will be waiting at the ready!!