For the second time in less than a year the Daily Telegraph Travel section has put the Cholmondeley Arms in the top ten places to bring your dog this time we are featured in the Top Ten Hotels around the UK.

Top 10: the best pet-friendly hotels in Britain

The best dog-friendly hotels in Britain, featuring the top places to stay for coastal walking routes, cosy fires, pet-friendly restaurants and in-room dog beds, in locations including the Lake District, New Forest and Yorkshire Dales.

Cholmondeley Arms, Cheshire

This former Victorian schoolhouse-turned-inn is as stylish as Beau Brummell inside. The glorious carved oak bar dominates the main hall and apart from the malted charms of Cholmondeley Best Bitter and Merlin’s Gold, there are a staggering 200 varieties of ruinously good gin to discover. Your faithful friend will not go thirsty either, as dog beer (made from meat stock) is readily available. Food is hearty and delicious and rooms in the old headmaster’s house behind the inn are calm, civilised and comfortable. Three of them are dog-friendly, and dog beds are supplied too.

We are sorry to announce that our loyal gardener and occasional raconteur Johnny O’Shea has passed away after a long illness. Johnny will be fondly remembered by us all here at the Cholmondeley Arms. In the summer when the beautiful roses grow around the ‘Chum’ we will think of Johnny and all the time he spent making everything look so beautiful.

Many visitors to Cholmondeley will remember Johnny and the stories he would tell over a ‘wee dram’. He was once asked where do you want to be in ten years and his answer was simply to be in the Cholmondeley Arms with a smile.

Johnny raced Greyhounds and at the opening of our Three Greyhounds Inn pub Johnny and his wife Anne made the trip specially from Cholmondeley with three real greyhounds to help us celebrate the opening.

God bless you Johnny, Cholmondeley won’t ever be the same without you.

For four long months ITV have been filming down the road in Bunbury and the crew and cast have stayed with us here at the Chum in our Headmasters House bedrooms. They have enjoyed relaxing at the pub and dining with a very occasional Gin and Tonic after a very hard day’s work on set.

Where else would they chose for their ‘it’s a wrap’ party than the Cholmondeley Arms and a marquee went up for the whole cast and crew to enjoy a little Christmas cheer early and finally relax after a job well done!

Bunbury had been the setting for the six-part Second World War drama ‘Home Fires’, starring Francesca Annis and Samantha Bond and produced by ITV Studios. It tells how members of the Women’s Institute hold the fabric of society together while their menfolk are away fighting.

Filming began in September and continued until December, with some of the villagers appearing as extras.

With a screenplay by Simon Block, who penned shows including Lewis and Casualty, the drama is inspired by Julie Summers’ book ‘Jambusters’ and is set to air on screens sometime in 2015.

Bunbury residents were informed of the news by leaflets posted through their doors explaining how their village would be affected by the filming, and also giving them the opportunity to feature in the show as extras.

Steve November, ITV’s director of drama, said: “We’re really delighted to have commissioned ’Home Fires’. Great writing from Simon has given Julie Summers’ wonderful book a fictional life.

“The women are real and engaging and have fantastic spirit and attitude. With World War II on the horizon, multiple strands of plot interweave to create a period drama full of jeopardy and intrigue, but also great humanity and modernity.”

Saturday 1st November saw our first annual bonfire and fireworks display which proved to be a roaring success. The bonfire blazed and crackled whilst everyone enjoyed a fantastic display of fireworks. The outside bar and BBQ went down a treat, with warm mulled wine, local hot chocolate and real ale. Everyone enjoyed the homemade Parkin and Treacle Toffee.

Roger one of our regulars built a superb guy who stood proudly above the bonfire. We would like to say a massive thank you to all of the regulars who helped and supported the evening.

We look forward to welcoming you to next year’s bonfire – once again there will be no entry fee to thank you for your ongoing support.

The Cholmondeley Arms played host to an unexpected visitor on Good Friday!! This is Warren, he is walking from Lands’ End to John O’Groats to raise money for Macmillan cancer care. He was six weeks into the walk when he stumbled across the Chum and popped in to ask where he was and if he could have some water (he is walking without a map!) He also wanted to know where the nearest B&B was and if he could make it there before dusk.

When Ben our company support manager informed him that he might like to have a Guinness instead of a water, and that the nearest B&B was the other side of the car park he looked relieved to say the least.

Ben then told him that as it was Good Friday (a fact that he was unaware of) and in lieu of a financial contribution towards the sponsorship of his walk, he could have the room, and the beer, for free!

I think it is fair to say that this brought him to the verge of tears, and after a good long rest and a hot shower he continued his walk the following morning.

Next stop for Warren was Warrington, then onwards to Scotland and John O’Groats which he was hoping to reach within the next 2 months!

The only worry with Warren is that he hadn’t planned a way to get home when he finished the walk, and as home for him is Southampton, he could be still walking come Christmas!

We all wish him well and let us know if you do it!!

The 3rd Cholmondeley Clay Pigeon shoot went off with a bang literally as organisers and locals Kit and Phil (with the help of all the participants) raised a staggering £2k nearly for the Northwest Air Ambulance and the Arthritis Research charities. Chum Manager Jess and owner Mary decided to have a go at a few clays and it would appear Jess is a natural and Mary needs practice!!

The presentation to the charities takes place on Thursday May 8th at around 7pm ish here at the Cholmondeley Arms.

Big thanks and well done to all who took part and especially to Kit and Phil who made it happen.

Next year will be even bigger I am sure!!

JESS HITS TWO OUT OF TWO!!

MARY MISSES TWO OUT OF TWO!

ORGANISER KIT WITH JESS

A big congratulations to our Cholmondeley Quiz Champions, after 6 tense quizzes ‘Keeping your End Up’ were crowned the Champions. Each month dedicated teams competed for points to win this title. Teams are invited for the Ted to Head against the Bulls Head Champions this will be held at The Three Greyhounds Inn, Allostock. (Date to be confirmed) Who will be overall champions The Bulls Head or The Cholmondeley Arms??

A letter arrived today confirming the Cholmondeley Arms is the winner of the 2013/14 Countryside Alliance Local Food Award for the Northwest of England!! This is a major win for the Chum and particularly head chef Christian (pictured right) and his team of chefs, Dean (pictured left with Christian), John, Eric and James. This award is the first presented to a rural pub in Cheshire!!

We are all very, very proud indeed and it is real recognition of all the work Christian and the team have put in to our menu with local farmers, butchers, cheese-makers and growers as well as local game suppliers. Bringing the best and the freshest local ingredients to the plates of our customers at Cholmondeley. I am sure Clarissa would have been very proud too.

This award means three in a row for our pubs with the Bulls Head in Mobberley winning Alistair Sawdays Authentic Pub Award for 2013/14 and then the Three Greyhounds Inn winning Best Food Pub 2013/14 at the Heineken Awards and now the Cholmondeley Arms with this recognition from the Countryside alliance.

Thank you to everyone involved with the Chum past and present who have helped us achieve this honour. We now go forth to the National finals with the national award presented at the House of Lords in the Cholmondeley Room no less, on Wednesday 30th April 2014.

Our Head Chef Christian and his brigade of chefs have once again worked exceptionally hard to develop some lovely new dishes for our winter in to spring menu…

New starters include…

A Cholmondeley Local Game Charcuterie Board featuring Christian’s choices of cured and smoked ‘in season’ game which he creates here at Cholmondeley, this is served with pickles, sticky nuts and granary bread

Other new appetisers include…

Salt and Pepper Squid, Yorkshire chorizo, poached rhubarb and ginger or Mr Bourne’s little Cheshire cheesecakes with smoked pear and watercress or indeed Cholmondeley Shot Crispy Wild Rabbit and Clonakilty Black Pudding with Jerusalem artichokes, braised baby gem and poached egg

On the mains we have

• Smoked Chicken, ham hock and treacle suet pudding with parsley mash, greens and mustard sauce
• Christian’s Fish Pie, with cod cheek, smoked haddock and spinach with crispy mash and spiced cauliflower
• Local Lamb ‘Barnsley Chop’ with Devilled Kidneys, Boulangere potatoes and sweet pickled red cabbage
• Slow Cooked Shin of Beef, Stout and Honey Stew with roasted celeriac and English mustard dumplings
• Home Cured Venison Bresaola Salad with blood orange, sticky hazelnuts and liquorice dressing
• Baked Spinach, Mushroom and Perl Las Blue Cheese Pancakes with a simply dressed salad
• And a Prime 10oz 28 Day Aged Ribeye Steak served with homemade onion rings, chips and dressed salad

and for new puddings we have

• Caramelised Apple and Amaretti Pancakes with vanilla ice cream
• Steamed Yorkshire Rhubarb and Ginger Pudding with homemade custard
• Sticky Toffee Pudding with caramelised bananas and clotted cream ice cream
• Milk Chocolate Brownie with peanut praline and chocolate sauce

To look through the full menu click here and the Sunday menu please click here…

What a great time over Christmas our teams have had. It is tiring work but there are plenty of smiles and fun around the place!! The Bulls Head in Mobberley held its annual Christmas Jumper competition and the judges moved around the pub secretly assessing the best. Pete had won it last year with his ‘snow man number’ so was a favourite again this year.

There were a number of good efforts but I am pleased to say Pete held on to his crown with an ‘elf jumper’ with matching hat!! Well done Pete! There must be someone out there who can out do Pete in 2014??!

The teams as you can see had a good go with our personal favourite being Tom at the Church Inn with his Christmas pudding version!! Thanks to all our teams for making the effort. At the Cholmondeley Arms the ‘Snow Ball’ Drink was re-incarnated by the team and you can see Miya sampling some for the camera behind the Cholmondeley Bar!!!

Thank you to all our customers who have added to the atmosphere at all our pubs. There have been Christmas Carol singers at Cholmondeley and Brass bands at The three Greyhounds Inn at Allostock and The Church Inn in Mobberley as we managed to squeeze them in our newly decorated Church Inn ‘boot room’.

On Christmas eve as the Carol service finished at St. Wilfs church opposite the Church Inn in Mobberley we were on hand to serve the masses (get it!!) with mulled wine on the terrace with warm chimineas  burning away. There were festive nibbles and roasted chestnuts and a lot of good cheer! A very happy Christmas to all!!

Thanks to all our teams for working so hard!!

ADAM AT THE CHOLMONDELEY ARMS

ANYONE FOR A SNOW BALL!!

BABY CHAM IS BACK AT THE CHUM!!

MORE FESTIVE SWEATERS AT THE THREE GREYHOUNDS WITH SHAUNAGH AND CHRIS!!

MULLED WINE AT THE CHURCH INN WITH SOPH IN THAT HAT!!

OUR BRASS BAND MANAGED TO FIT IN THE CHURCH INN BOOT ROOM.

SECOND YEAR RUNNING!! PETE DOES IT AGAIN!!

TOM AT THE CHURCH INN WITH MARK

The Cholmondeley Arms in Malpas is the only pub to be a finalist in the Local Food category

Countryside Alliance Awards’ North West finalists announced and Cheshire is riding high.

Cheshire businesses are celebrating after making it through to the regional finals of what have become known as the Rural Oscars.

Cheshire boasts competitors in three of the four categories after the North West received more than 300 nominations from the public for this year’s Countryside Alliance Awards – an increase of 100 from the 2012 awards.

The Cholmondeley Arms in Malpas is the only pub among the five finalists of the Local Food category.

Tim Bird, who owns the pub with his wife Mary McLaughlin, said: “We are a pub up against lovely bespoke artisan shops and that’s what pleases me most.

“The head chef has worked particularly hard with all sorts of people locally to bring different dishes to the table that actually reflect the effort that is going on locally. It is a collective effort.”