Trot along to the Shire Horse pub to find out about Staffordshire’s spectacular Shire horse show

Photo courtesy of Paul Milgate-Scarrott

The world’s largest gathering of Shire horses will be welcomed to Staffordshire in a pre-event ‘meet and greet’ at the appropriately named Shire Horse pub in Stafford on 4^th March.

The Shire Horse Society will be staging its national show at Staffordshire Showground from 17^th to 19^th March, when around 250 pedigree Shires will be shown in all their glory. Open to the public, the event is widely regarded as the largest gathering anywhere in the world of these magnificent animals.

But on Saturday 4^th March at the Shire Horse pub in Hurricane Close, the charity will be staging a ‘meet and greet’ for the public, giving them the chance to find out more about Shire horses and the up-coming three-day show.

It will be attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Stafford, Councillor Geoff and Mrs Cathy Collier, and runs from 11.30am to 1.30pm.

On display will be Shire horse Queenie, who is owned by Mick Anson, who lives near Uttoxeter, and who is partial to a pint of ale.

“Shire horses traditionally love beer, and I’m sure that Queenie will enjoy her time at the Shire Horse pub meeting people and helping to raise awareness about our big show,” said Victoria Clayton, Shire Horse Society secretary. 

“Last year was the first time we held the world’s largest gathering of Shires in Staffordshire and it went really well, so we are delighted to be returning to the county and look forward to welcoming lots of visitors. Ticket sales are flying, and it looks like it will be a great event where we can raise the profile of these beautiful horses, which are still regarded as an ‘at risk’ breed.

“We’re expecting around 250 horses and we have almost double the number of trade stands than last year, as well as some entertainment for children, so it should be a good day out.”

During the ‘meet and greet’ Shire Horse Society members Chris and Jayne Malkin, from near Market Drayton in Shropshire, will be chatting about the gentle giants of the horse world and handing out flyers about the big show.

The national show is the flagship event of the Shire Horse Society - the only charity dedicated to the protection, promotion and improvement of the Shire horse.

This year the charity has secured Great British Bake Off star Val Stones as the after-dinner speaker at the show dinner, which is held at Bingley Hall, Staffordshire Showground, on 17^th March. Tickets for the dinner cost £30 and are available by contacting the Shire Horse Society on 01536 771611.

Tickets for the show are on sale via www.shire-horse.org.uk – discounted if bought in advance. Adult tickets on the gate are £12, or £10 online in advance, while tickets for children aged five to 13 years on the gate are £10, and £8 online in advance.

Children aged 14 years and over are charged at the adult price, while under fives enter free. Entry for Shire Horse Society members is free.

Gates open on Friday 17^th March at 8.30am and at 7am on Saturday 18^th and Sunday 19^th March.

For more details and ticket information about the show, visit www.shire-horse.org.uk or follow @saveourshires on Twitter or at www.facebook.com/shirehorsesociety

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

The Orange Tree, Nottingham, raises cash for Maggie's cancer care charity

A tasty Bake Off challenge at The Orange Tree in Nottingham has raised more than £145 for charity.

The pub in Shakespeare Street is a regular supporter of Maggie’s, the cancer caring centre based at the City Hospital, Nottingham.

As well as the proceeds from the Bake Off, the pub has also collected £107 from a swap shop event earlier this year, and £169 from its clubcard scheme – netting more than £420 for the charity in the last few months.

Almost 20 bakers battled it out in the latest event, which attracted classic cakes, beautiful bakes and a selection of fancies.

Guest judges who sampled the tasty entries included Nottingham actress Ros Hanson, who featured in the Bafta award-winning This is England, Nottingham Post feature writer Lynette Pinchess, cake designer Danielle Gotheridge, who runs the Hockley-based Danielle Gotheridge outlet, and The Orange Tree’s head chef Jim Gordon and second chef Callum France.

The winner was Aimee Walker, with an elaborate design topped with fruit. She was followed by Karima Mulji, who came second, Betty Butcher third, and Sam Davies fourth. They each won a bottle of champagne.

Prizes of a cream tea for two at The Orange Tree went to Natalie Smith, who was fifth, Judy Willis, who was sixth, Claire Wood, who was seventh, and Sam Gray, who took eighth place.

Melanie Newbold, general manager at The Orange Tree said: “The standard of entries was superb – well above and beyond what I thought we would get. It’s fantastic that so many people have gone to so much trouble to take part in our Bake Off event for Maggie’s.

“I’d like to thank those who entered, and also our judges for giving up their time.”

After the judging, the cakes were sold off in aid of Maggie’s – raising more than £145.

www.orangetree.co.uk

Issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Leicestershire independent pub company The Orange Tree to open its first club

East Midlands independent pub group The Orange Tree is to bring something new to Leicester’s nightlife with the opening of its first club.

The group has taken over the site formerly occupied by The Basement in Wellington Street, Leicester, and plans to transform the premises into a flexible venue with an alternative feel and offer.

The club, which will retain the name The Basement, will be true to the style of the group’s other outlets – The Orange Tree in High Street, the O Bar in Braunstone Gate, The Lansdowne in London Road, which are all in Leicester, and The Orange Tree, Loughborough, and The Orange Tree, Nottingham.

It will be a live music venue some nights, a late night bar on others and at weekends The Basement will have a more traditional night club feel but in intimate and personalised surroundings.

Ben Hings, managing director of The Orange Tree Group, said: “The Basement will be an eclectic mix of all the elements of our other establishments. Our aim is to create a venue that’s flexible in what it offers, and that is centred on the same principles, ethos and standards that have made the O Bar, The Orange Tree and The Lansdowne successful and popular with customers.

“The fact that we are expanding is good news for the company and good news for the nightlife in Leicester, which will be gaining the type and style of venue that we felt was missing in the city.”

Work is now underway to transform the 170-capacity club, with an expected opening date due in late spring or early summer.

The Basement has a licence to open until 6am, which the Orange Tree Group plans to operate at key times of the week.

The independent pub group was founded by Ben Hings and Gareth Smith in October 1997 when they opened The Orange Tree in Leicester. This was followed by The Orange Tree, Loughborough, a year later and then the O Bar in Leicester in 2001. The group’s Orange Tree in Nottingham opened in October 2003, followed by The Lansdowne in December 2004.

www.orangetree.co.uk

Nottingham PR consultant Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Teas with an alcoholic tipple served at The Orange Tree, Nottingham

Nottingham pub The Orange Tree has launched a new range of cream teas with a twist.

The pub in Shakespeare Street has introduced a beverage selection on its new afternoon tea menu that features something stronger alongside the more usual cuppas.

Adventurous tea lovers can opt for Earl Grey’s Surprise – chilled Earl Grey blended with gin and just the right amount of sugar and fresh lemons – and Super Berry Gin Tea – a chilled super berry tea with a kick of sloe gin, a splash of cranberry juice and a touch of sugar.

The alcohol-tinged teas are part of a newly-launched afternoon tea selection that boasts some of the freshest scones in the city – hand-made in The Orange Tree’s kitchen. And to round it off, the strawberry jam topping is home-made too….created by barmaid Sarah Gallagher.

The cream teas are served on vintage china that’s been sourced by Orange Tree general manager Mel Newbold from charity shops, car boot sales and fairs, and is already being complimented.

“The first customer I served cream tea to remarked on the silver tray and said she felt very regal,” said Mel. “Cream teas are making a real comeback. What we’ve done at The Orange Tree is to take the traditional elements of a cream tea and give them a really modern twist by adding a couple of teas that contain something a little stronger and are a bit more distinct. Of course we also have a full range of the sorts of tea you’d normally find on a cream tea menu too.”

The regular tea selection includes ethical and award-winning leaf teas served with infusers in the tea pots. Choose from peppermint leaf, Earl Grey and a range of others.

Cream teas at The Orange Tree are priced £3.75, and include a cuppa and a freshly baked scone served with homemade strawberry jam and a dollop of Cornish clotted cream. Cream teas featuring a tea with an alcoholic tipple cost £5.25.

http://www.orangetree.co.uk/

http://www.perfect10pr.co.uk/