by ballyboes

Ainsley Harriott arrives to enjoy our now famous Sunday Lunch!!!!

STRU' NEVER MISSES A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY!!

Sundays are a special day at the Cholmondeley Arms mainly because of Christians Roast Rib of Beef with all the trimmings!!

This Sunday was no exception and who should ‘rock up’ to enjoy the occasion….none other than Ainsley Harriott himself!!

Ainsley enjoyed his beef and spent time swapping foodie anecdotes with the chefs and the rest of our team as well as enjoying the new Cholmondeley Arms with his family.

CHRISTIAN AND HIS TEAM WELCOME AINSLEY IN TO THE 'CHUM' KITCHEN WITH OUR MANAGER STEVE

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 by ballyboes

A49 Closure update!!

Judging by the large amounts of people already coming through the doors of the new Cholmondeley Arms many of you know are open and accessible!!!

We have been on the Council website to get an update  on the A49 closure and how long it will last. Apparently they have hit some ‘snags’!! For more details click here.

Just to reassure our ‘would be’ customers that if you are travelling south on the A49 from Warrington, Tarporley, Bunbury etc. all is completely normal road/journey wise as the road is closed well beyond the Cholmondeley Arms.

If you are travelling from Wrenbury/Malpas all is fine too.

However if you are travelling from Whitchurch then you must follow the diversion signs.

We would like to say a big thank you to an already loyal customer, for posting the only comments about the road closure on the council website, boasting they have the Cholmondeley Arms to themselves (see here). Well you can all come along and share the experience of the new Cholmondeley Arms with our new fan!! We look forward to seeing you.

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 by ballyboes

Our brand new kitchen gets ready for its first Sunday lunch!!

We are exceptionally proud to say one of the biggest parts of our investment in the ‘new’ Cholmondeley Arms has been the kitchen. As you can see from the photos the floors, the walls, the ceilings, all the equipment including our new ‘walk in’ fridge, all the electrics, in fact everything you can think of has been completely re-newed.

It is vital to us that our kitchen reflects our passion for great food, using fresh produce from local suppliers where we can while maintaining the highest standards possible.

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 by ballyboes

The Famous five pumps are launched!!!

Here is our opening line-up on our ‘famous five pumps’. Teachers Tipple is our seasonal ‘session’ house beer brewed by Weetwood brewery in Tarporley. It is a really good hoppy beer with fruit flavours. Then there is our ‘centre piece’ Ale, the Cholmondeley Best Bitter again, brewed at Weetwood.

On the right as you look is our first guest ale, the ‘bitter mans’ bitter from Cheshire’s newest brewery ‘Mobberley Fine Ales’, Hedge Hopper is an excellent brew and reflects our close relationship with the village of Mobberley where we have our first Cheshire based pub the Bulls Head the winner of the ‘Best Turnaround Pub’ in the Northwest 2011.

Then we have two further guest ales. Wincle Waller from Wincle Brewery near Macclesfield and of course the famous ‘Shropshire Gold’ from Salopian.

The Cholmondeley Arms is committed to local micro-breweries from within a 35 mile radius and we will only stock ales from Cheshire and Shropshire..

 

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Guest Reviews

 

We ate at the Cholmondeley arms on Sat 18th Feb.  A table for 4 – two had already eaten with you – two were first-timers. If we had been asked to sum up our evening out it was “like a breath of fresh air”.   The building, the staff, the food, the service, the choices, the beer, the wine, the cosy fire – in fact everything matched up to the best dining out  experience in many years. Congratulations you really have got it spot on.

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 by ballyboes

The Cholmondeley Arms just before refurbishment

Who’s that famous guy walking towards the door of the Cholmondeley Arms for the first time!!

It took some time to get the Cholmondeley Arms and we are delighted to be in a position to build on the pubs excellent history

That front door has to change

The signage too can be improved

A beautiful garden with great potential

The Stags head looks over the building before the builders arrive!!

 

A tired interior offers plenty of opportunity

 

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 by ballyboes

The beginnings of the refurb (week 1)

Some of the team and our famous local gather by the old bar on Sunday 24th July as we close for the restoration of a great pub

The pub looks so big when it's empty

 

The strip out started straight away on Monday 25th July

Wonderful wood floors are discovered under the old carpets

 

More wood floors revealed

The Bar slowly disappeared!!!

 

Next will be the sand blasting of the interior

The walls in the main 'school' dining room are sandblasted back to natural brick

 

The plans are put on the old wall that supported the back bar as the bar completely disappears

As the sun shone the car park looked like a furniture sale. All the best pieces will be re-used

 

As we shut our doors look who turned up for a drink!!!

Luckily we could reward their endeavour with some 'fizzy stuff'







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 by ballyboes

Plans & debates (week 2)

The builders lean over the plans and debate the next 'moves'

The Headmasters House B&B awaits its paint job

 

The internal sand blasting is now complete

The old internal porch has now gone

 

The old kitchen is stripped completely

The 'old school' radiators have come up a treat!!

 

The old sign will be down soon

The whole pub is being re-wired





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Painting Commences (week 3)

Painting commences on the interior where we haven't sand blasted of course

The new entrance to the pub has been created

 

The eaves are now painted a softer colour

The garden benches are being sanded and painted by the team in readiness

 

The Headmasters House B&B has a new fence and is being painted

The hedges too are all being tidied up.

 

The land at the rear of the pub has been smartened up

The picket fence is now built

 

Decisions and plans are tweaked by the day

The eaves are now a warmer colour and the lighting is waiting for the signage

 

Old settles are waiting to be re-used

The Headmasters house gets warmer paint finishes

 

The entrance is ready for tiling.

The large ceilings are repaired and being painted

 

The outside dining area is extended.

The previously grim toilets are getting fully refurbished



The old wood joists are sandblasted and the walls of the pub are painted and waiting for mirrors etc

The Victorian back bar has arrived

 

What a great day to paint a pub!!










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More Improvements (week 4)

 

Another blue sky day means the exterior moves on quickly

The new entrance adds intrigue

 

The fence looks better in white!!!

The Kitchen is now being equipped for Head Chef Christian and his team

 

The new office has a fresh feeling to it!!!

The old school pews are in place

 

The old Victorian back bar and front bar are now fitted

The outside area is being improved for those that like to puff on a cigar etc.




We are now ready for signage to be painted onto the building

Steve and Stru’ from the Cholmondeley Arms and Shane and James from the Bulls Head all got together to enjoy a wine tasting to sample proposed wines for the new Cholmondeley wine list and forthcoming Autumn wines for the Bulls Head list too.




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WEEK FIVE, THE FINAL FRONTIER

 

LONG SERVING TEAM MEMBER SUE IS ABLE TO START BAKING THE TREACLE SPONGES AND THE BAKEWELL TARTS

THE BAKEWELL TART IS DELICIOUS

 

A LITTLE LIKE STEPTOE'S HOUSE AS THE FURNITURE WAITS PATIENTLY TO BE PLACE IN SITU'

ESTABLISHED IN 1862 WHICH MEANS WE CAN CELEBRATE 150 YEARS IN 2012!

 

BEAUTIFUL DRESSERS ARE PLACED AROUND THE PUB

HOMAGE IS PAID TO THE PAST

 

IT'S OFFICIAL....IT WAS THE HEADMASTERS HOUSE!!

RUGS ARRIVE

 

HAND PAINTED SIGNAGE ADORNS THE NEW 'CHUM' ARMS

THE HOPS ARRIVES FRESH AS A DAISY

 

THATS A BIG LAMP OVER THE BAR!!

THE NEW FIRE PLACE IS TAKING SHAPE

 

THE 'OLD' ENTRANCE IS BEGINNING TO LOOK STUNNING . NO SMOKING HERE ANY MORE!! WE HAVE A POSITION BEHIND THE BIKE SHEDS FOR THAT!!

THE SIGNS ARE GOOD

 

THE SCULLERY APPEARS

TIME FOR REFLECTION FROM THE MANY MIRRORS NOW ADORNING THE WALLS



WHO DOES THE CAR BELONG TO!!









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THE EVE OF THE OPENING

 

BEAUTIFUL NEW GARDEN BENCHES

JUST WHO IS THE HEADMASTER

 

CHARLIE AND STEVE WHO BUILT THE BULLS HEAD TOO ENJOY A BEER BEFORE WAVING FAREWELL!!

CHOLMONDELEY BEST BITTER HAS PRIDE OF PLACE

 

MIKE CALMLY WRITES UP THE 'OLD SCHOOL' BLACKBOARDS AS WE NEAR COMPLETION

OUR FIRST APPLE TREE

 

PAINTERS, ELECTRICIANS, CHIPPYS, BUILDERS AND LANDSCAPERS ARE PROUD OF A JOB WELL DONE

THANKS TO OUR BRILLIANT HARDWORKING BUILD TEAM FOR MAKING A SECOND DREAM COME TRUE

 

'COOKIE' THE DEER HAS MOVED PLACES !!

THE 'GIN PALACE' BAR IS STUNNING!!

 

THE NEW ENTRANCE LOOKS WELCOMING AND FRESH

THE NEW WINDOW LOOKS OUT WHERE THE OLD ENTRANCE WAS.

THE NEW FIRE IS IN SITU

THE SUNSHINE POURS IN TO THE PUB NOW

CHRISTIAN TAKES A REST AFTER OUR FIRST SHIFT IN THE NEW CHOLMONDELEY ARMS

NOW THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS ARE DONE WE CAN CONFIRM WE CAN BE SEEN FROM THE MOON!!

STRU' TAKES TIME OUT FROM BEEN OUR REAL ALE CHAMPION TO HAVE A COFFEE!!! HE'S NOT A MORNING PERSON!!

WE ARE SO CHUFFED WITH THE LIGHTS!! A BIG THANKS TO ALL OUR ELECTRICIAN WHO DID A GREAT JOB

THE TEAM TOAST A VERY HARD DAYS WORK TO ENSURE WE OPEN ON SATURDAY!!

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TV chef Clarissa Dickson Wright praises Cholmondeley Arms in new autobiography

Oct 15 2009 by Ben Coulbeck, Chester Chronicle

CELEBRITY chef Clarissa Dickson Wright has included a Cheshire pub in her latest autobiography.

The Two Fat Ladies star picked the Cholmondeley Arms as her favourite pub in Cheshire!!

The Malpas pub, on Wrenbury Road, is re-opening its bed and breakfast rooms at the end of the month and Dickson Wright, who released the book ‘Rifling through My Drawers’ earlier this year, will be attending the celebratory event. A complete renovation of the pub’s en-suite rooms is being completed throughout October.

In her latest offering, Dickson Wright pays particular attention to the Cholmondeley Arms’ breakfasts. She describes her experience of mornings at the breakfast table as being: “consoled by the hearty breakfasts’

The breakfast also made it onto the ‘10 best things Clarissa Dickson Wright has ever eaten’ list, produced for a BBC Radio 2 show.

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