Imbibe Personality of the Year Awards 2018: Winners announced!

The top movers and shakers of the UK drinks industry gathered last night in London to hear the results of the Imbibe Personality of the Year Awards 2018.

The nominees were voted for by Imbibe magazine’s readers in record-breaking numbers and the shortlist included the highest calibre of UK on-trade professionals.

Tim Bird, co-founder of Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars picked up the award for Pub Personality of the Year.

Imbibe editor, Chris Losh, commented: ‘Tim has worked in the industry for over 35 years, and since he’s saved many pubs from closure in that time, it’s safe to say the UK’s pub scene would not have been the same without him.

 

‘He’s proved himself amazing at running everything from big pub groups to small independents, and, for the last seven years, his own group of country pubs and Inns. This passion for the industry is exactly what Imbibe Magazine is all about’.

Judges for the competition included restaurateur George Bergier, the Connaught Bar’s Ago Perrone, Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt, Northcote’s Craig Bancroft, Gin Journey’s Leon Dalloway, Beer Belle Annabel Smith, Mixology Group’s Myles Cunliffe and the Imbibe editorial team.

Imbibe launched the Personality of the Year Awards in 2011 and previous winners have included Heston Blumenthal, Ronan Sayburn MS, Thinking Drinkers, Alex Kratena, Christine Parkinson, Xavier Rousset MS, Dee Davies, Lyndon Higginson, Stuart McCluskey, Salvatore Calabrese, Laura Rhys MS, Thomas Decan, the Galvin Brothers and Jake Burger, as well as many other on-trade professionals.

The 2018 awards were presented on Monday 12th February at Mahiki Kensington.

Launched in March 2007, Imbibe magazine has rapidly become the UK’s leading magazine for on-trade drinks professionals working in premium UK establishments. Imbibe is a quarterly magazine, with more than 20,000 drinks buyers and servers in the UK receiving a copy. Copies are available upon request.

Our Owner Tim is Pub Personality of the Year 2018!

Imbibe Magazine is the UK’s leading drinks magazine and tonight at their annual awards in London our owner Tim was chosen as ‘Pub Personality of the Year 2018’.

Tim was up against some of the pub industry’s top talent on the night, but the judges not only looked at Tim’s vast experience in the industry but particularly the success of Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars, Tim’s company that he operates with his wife and business partner Mary McLaughlin. They have taken pubs that were either closed or close to closure and through their restoration have created one of the best small pub companies in the UK!

On winning this prestigious award, Tim thanked the team at Cheshire Cat…..”I have had many proud moments in my career but nothing has made me prouder than the achievement of our pubs. Starting our own business was the best thing we have ever done and tonight I share this award with Mary and the Cheshire Cat team! I would like to thank Imbibe Magazine for giving me one of the proudest moments in my career! I look forward to celebrating with the team!”

The Sunday Telegraph

The Cholmondeley Arms listed in Britain’s 25 most dog-friendly pubs

Finish a weekend walk with a trip to one of these hound-welcoming hostelries. Introduced by Kate Humble

No need to leave your canine companion outside: Kate Humble introduces our choice of dog-friendly pubs

If you love having a dog, you probably love doing things that dogs love doing too – and a good walk is top of the list. We are lucky enough to live in a beautiful country, and not only that, a country that is criss-crossed with a network of public footpaths crying out to be explored. This wonderful access we are given to our countryside is one of the greatest privileges of living and holidaying in Britain. As dog owners, we naturally want to share the scenery with the company of a dog or two – or in my case, three. Yet often in the past it has been a challenge to find somewhere equally pleasurable to have a restorative drink – and perhaps a lovely meal as well – at the end of a stroll. I’m sure I’m not the only one of us who has ended up in a poky, lino-clad room tucked away down some dark corridor that describes itself as “dog friendly”. But there are plenty of civilised, dog-friendly pubs out there. The dedicated team at Sawday’s has travelled the length and breadth of Britain to find an enticing collection of places to eat and stay. And if, like me, you are eccentric and dotty enough want to bring your dog along too, you can. I call it the “tail-wagging” guide, and it has never failed me or my dogs yet..

THE CHOLMONDELEY
ARMS, WRENBURY ROAD,
CHOLMONDELEY, CHESHIRE
SY14 8HN
As prim and proper as a Victorian schoolmistress on the outside, this old school house is as stylish as Beau Brummell within. The glorious carved oak bar dominates the main hall and apart from the malted charms of the local ales, there are 200 varieties of ruinously good gin to discover. Fear not, for your faithful friend will not go thirsty, dog beer is available and baskets provided for those that stay over.

Lunch/dinner £7.25-£17.95, Sunday
lunch £14.50. Rooms from £75 per
night, dogs £10 per night. cholmondeleyarms.
co.uk; 01829 720300.

Our Annual Bonfire Night was a roaring success!

The crowds gathered for our annual bonfire party, our trusty locals made a huge bonfire which started the festivities. We had our outside bar and BBQ running and the live music really got the party rocking!

A big thankyou to our group of regulars that helped us and all of the Cholmondeley team!

See you all next year!!

2017 Chum Treasure Hunt.

Despite a really horrid day weather wise 6 brave teams rocked up for a challenging car treasure hunt around the lanes of the Cholmondeley Estate. Storm Brian ensured conditions weren’t easy but the teams excelled with some great efforts to ensure they picked up some difficult clues. Coupled with excellent answers on the quiz questions as well as the hunt itself the teams scored well.

The clear winners by the end of the marking by Tim (the judge) were the Valentino’s!!! Pictured at the bar with the trophy and their Porsche driving experience. Well done team Valentino’s and big thanks to all the other teams that took part. In second place were the Larden Green Losers with the Cholmondeley Chasers in third! Here’s to the next hunt at the Fitzherbert Arms this coming Saturday.

Cholmondeley Arms featured in the Sophie Allport Blog

15 Fabulously Dog Friendly Pubs With Rooms In The UK

The “Chum”, a revamped old school house famous for its huge choice of real ales and over 300 gins (hosts its own annual Gin Festival) won’t let you or your dog down – after a long walk around the Cholmondeley Estate, reward your dog with a dog ‘beer’ (a meaty stock based drink) and plenty of treats found in a jar on the bar.

Best for Organic homemade treats

To read the full article click here

Best Pub in Northwest

From left Leanne manager of the Fitzherbert Arms holding the ‘Best Pub in Staffordshire’ certificate with Tom Head chef of the Cholmondeley Arms who has the ‘Best Pub in the Northwest’ plaque next to Lucy, deputy manager of the Fitzherbert Arms and Tom’s partner helping hold the certificate for the Cholmondeley Arms and Cholmondeley Arms manager Tim with yet another certificate for ‘Best Pub in the Northwest!’

Here in London at the BAFTA theatre In Piccadilly on 23rd May 2017 the Cholmondeley Arms was announced as the best pub in the Northwest!

Beating all Northwest county winners to the title! Having won the Cheshire County prize three weeks ago….London called….to see if the Regional award could be won…and the Cholmondeley Arms has won it!!

So officially best Pub in the Northwest meaning Tim Bird and Mary Mclaughlin have now had two pubs win this prestigious award in two years….the Church Inn in Mobberley winning last year!

Well done to Cholmondeley Arms manager Tim and Deputy Fliss, Head Chef Tom and the team! A great win!

Cholmondeley Charity Shoot

Cholmondeley Charity Shoot raises over £3500 for Hope House and Air Ambulance.

The local community puts together an annual charity clay pigeon shoot, where throughout the afternoon, individuals and teams compete.

This year the event raised more than £3500 for the charities. We are proud to sponsor such a brilliant, local event.