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Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I've visited 24,000 boozers & knocked back 60,000 pints on ‘world's longest pub crawl' – here are my top 5 picks in UK
Peter has even secured a Guinness World Record for the world's longest pub crawl DRINK IT IN I've visited 24,000 boozers & knocked back 60,000 pints on 'world's longest pub crawl' – here are my top 5 picks in UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A REAL ale fan celebrated visiting visiting 24,000 boozers and downing 60,000 pints after more than 40 years on the "world's longest pub crawl". Peter Hill, from West Bromwich, drank to his 69th birthday after reaching his milestone at the Elephant & Castle in the West Midlands on June 20. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Peter Hill (front left) and friends started trying out different pubs in 1984 Credit: SWNS 9 Peter (second right) then started average 11 pub visits a week Credit: SWNS 9 His group received a Guinness World Record title in 2017 after visiting 20,000 pubs Credit: SWNS 9 Peter Hill (front right) and co have now visited their 24,000th pub for his 69th birthday Credit: SWNS The father-of-two has travelled 400,000 miles across the country, and averaged 11 pubs each week, since starting on his expedition in 1984. This involved having a pint on 69 islands around the UK, visiting a boozer in every British county, and drinking at very pub in Wales. When Peter started, a pint cost 64p. Where it all started Peter started testing out different boozers with his mates when they got bored of drinking at the same one all the time, and they soon became known as the Black Country Ale Tairsters. After testing out a different pub from a map that was given out by the local Banks brewery in Wolverhampton, the Black Country Ale Tairsters then set out to visit all 300 pubs listed. Peter then had the aim of of visiting every pub on the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) guide. "Then we sort of said 'shall we get to 1,000?' - then it was 2,000, then 3,000 and it just never stopped from there." The now retired engineer, Peter, eventually entered record books by trekking to all corners of Britain. His group set a record for the longest pub crawl, but that was never the main focus for Peter. He began to raise money for charities, like children's hospitals and the Air Ambulance, and raised over £35,000 over the years as each challenge became more and more ambitious. Britain's cheapest Wetherspoons' pint revealed Peter said: "It's been a great adventure and I've met some amazing people along the way. "I'm not sure if I'll ever stop, as I still really enjoy it. "There's still hundreds of pubs to go, so I'll keep on going while I can." Whilst numbers in the Black Country Ale Tairsters have gone up and down as life has gone on, Peter has persevered with the expedition, sometimes even going by himself. "We used to get a little drunk in the early days but it's more of a mature hobby now and I always take it easy and pace myself. We don't drink to excess," he added. "I mainly stick to the real ales but we'll try the odd stout and mild too. It's brilliant fun, you can't be a good pub." "I love the characters you meet." One of the rooms in Hills' home now contains 280-arch lever files which log every pub with pictures, menus and other memorabilia from the adventures. What makes a good pub For Peter, the best kinds of pubs are the "old-fashioned traditional boozers". He likes when then have just a couple of rooms, and provide a warm welcome too. He added: "And it helps if they have a good beer on." 9 Peter has an extensive collection of folders documenting all the pubs he has visited Credit: SWNS 9 The Black Country Ale Tairsters celebrated their 40th anniversary of pub crawls last year Credit: SWNS Throughout the years, Peter has seen the industry go through drastic changes with an increasing number of pubs struggling. However, he never goes for the pints that can reach up to seven or even ten quid. But to record that he has visited a pub, Peter leaves a calling card which he gets a staff member to sign. "The wife is OK with it, she just accepts it's my hobby." Peter and his wife Dawn, 66, plan to next go to Greenwich for their anniversary where they will down a few more pints. "I'm trying to do my bit to keep the pub scene alive. I'll keep going until the beer runs out." Peter's top 5 pubs Peter and his Black Country Ale Tairsters group achieved their Guinness World Record for the Longest Pub Crawl in 2017, after reaching their 20,000th pub. The now real ale connoisseur has revealed his top pubs in the UK, and why. The Black Lion, Consall Forge, Staffs: out in the wild, has an old steam train running past, next to a canal, lovely beer garden. Yew Tree Inn, Caulden, Staffs: 88-year-old landlord still remembers Peter visiting in the early days in 1987 as pub number 1,052. Old place full of antiques and great atmosphere. The Mug House, Claines, Worcester: has three little rooms, by lovely little churchyard. Peter also has a pal there who he sees often. The Rising Sun, Tipton, West Midlands: has been Peter's local pub for years, welcoming and friendly faces. Payton Arms, Stoke Lyne, Oxon: unique place full of cobwebs and spiders, old fashioned and hard to describe. Peter also added: "My favourites are Oakham Cistra, Abbeydale Moonshine or Deception, Ossett White Rat and Black Country Ales. "We've been to the Shetlands, Orkneys, Jersey, Guernsey. "And to parts of Europe too as we like to visit military and war sites, like the Somme." 9 The Black Lion, Consall Forge, Staffs is in Peter's top 5 list of pubs Credit: SWNS 9 His local pub, The Rising Sun, also remains among his favourites Credit: SWNS
The Irish Sun
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘Who raised you?!' Home cook slammed after sharing attempt at Italian dish – but can you tell what it's meant to be?
THERE'S nothing better than tucking into a tasty homecooked meal, and it's even better if it's a traditional recipe. But one home cook left people scratching their heads after they revealed their attempt at a particular classic dish. Advertisement 4 home-cook-slammed-sharing-attempt-999490755 Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 4 home-cook-slammed-sharing-attempt-999490671 Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 4 The foodie showed off their attempt at making lasagne on Facebook Credit: Getty Despite their best efforts, the food turned out nothing like you would expect, and some people even questioned what they meal was supposed to be in the first place. This came after the wannabe chef took to Facebook to show off their concoction with a picture from before it went into the over and after. "How do you make lasagne, mine came out crispy as hell and I want it soft, please help," the Facebook user wrote alongside the pictures. The first snap shows a dish layered with dry spaghetti, strips of uncooked bacon and slices of American cheese. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOD Unsurprisingly, the meal only looked worse after some time in the oven. Instead of melting, the cheese shrivelled up and burned, and the dry spaghetti didn't look any more enticing either. After sharing the snaps in the popular Facebook group people were so shocked by the food creation they thought the foodie must've been joking. "This has got to be satire," one person commented on the viral post. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous But others weren't so sure, as a second said: "What in the name of god did you think you were making!?!" And a third chimed in: "I have never seen anything like this, where is the sauce?" The Sun tries Wetherspoons' new menu "I want to laugh but I genuinely don't even know what to think here," another wrote. Meanwhile, others offered some cooking suggestions for their next attempt. Advertisement "You should start by reading an actual recipe, this is a crime ," one said. And another commented: "I dread to think how many Italians you killed making this. Even if it is a joke this post should come with a trigger warning." And someone else quipped: "Who raised you?!" This isn't the first time food fans have been left stunned by a meal. Advertisement M um and TikToker Michelle previously caused viewers to lose their appetites as she proudly showed the breakfast she fed her family. The nation's most peculiar food combinations revealed Brits reveal unusual food combinations that are so wrong, they feel right Research by Crisps and chocolate Cheese and chocolate Crisps in jam sandwich Chips and milkshake Cheese and bananas Apples with salt and pepper Avocado and chocolate Popcorn and hot sauce Tuna and marmite Gherkins and peanut butter Rather than using actual eggs, the mum whipped up the first meal of the day with a ''scrambled egg mix'' - which was essentially just a powder. To add some extra boost of Advertisement The gut-churning concoction called for half a cup of the scrambled egg mix which she dissolved with warm water, as well as the bacon bits - which needed to be re-hydrated with cold water. For extra flavour and texture the mum also chucked in some freeze fried cheddar cheese that had to go in the water before as well. Once the egg mixture was ready, Michelle cooked it on the pan, before squeezing the water out of the shredded cheese and throwing a spoonful of the watery bacon. Showing off the final result on Advertisement 4 The mum showed off her recipe on TikTok Credit: TIKTOK/@anothersmithfamily
Scottish Sun
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘Who raised you?!' Home cook slammed after sharing attempt at Italian dish – but can you tell what it's meant to be?
GRUB'S UP 'Who raised you?!' Home cook slammed after sharing attempt at Italian dish – but can you tell what it's meant to be? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THERE'S nothing better than tucking into a tasty homecooked meal, and it's even better if it's a traditional recipe. But one home cook left people scratching their heads after they revealed their attempt at a particular classic dish. 4 home-cook-slammed-sharing-attempt-999490755 Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 4 home-cook-slammed-sharing-attempt-999490671 Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 4 The foodie showed off their attempt at making lasagne on Facebook Credit: Getty Despite their best efforts, the food turned out nothing like you would expect, and some people even questioned what they meal was supposed to be in the first place. This came after the wannabe chef took to Facebook to show off their concoction with a picture from before it went into the over and after. "How do you make lasagne, mine came out crispy as hell and I want it soft, please help," the Facebook user wrote alongside the pictures. The first snap shows a dish layered with dry spaghetti, strips of uncooked bacon and slices of American cheese. Unsurprisingly, the meal only looked worse after some time in the oven. Instead of melting, the cheese shrivelled up and burned, and the dry spaghetti didn't look any more enticing either. After sharing the snaps in the popular Facebook group people were so shocked by the food creation they thought the foodie must've been joking. "This has got to be satire," one person commented on the viral post. But others weren't so sure, as a second said: "What in the name of god did you think you were making!?!" And a third chimed in: "I have never seen anything like this, where is the sauce?" The Sun tries Wetherspoons' new menu "I want to laugh but I genuinely don't even know what to think here," another wrote. Meanwhile, others offered some cooking suggestions for their next attempt. "You should start by reading an actual recipe, this is a crime," one said. And another commented: "I dread to think how many Italians you killed making this. Even if it is a joke this post should come with a trigger warning." And someone else quipped: "Who raised you?!" This isn't the first time food fans have been left stunned by a meal. Mum and TikToker Michelle previously caused viewers to lose their appetites as she proudly showed the breakfast she fed her family. The now-viral video, which has racked up a staggering 2.2million views in just two days, sees the parent make scrambled eggs - but with a twist. The nation's most peculiar food combinations revealed Brits reveal unusual food combinations that are so wrong, they feel right Research by LNER claims that a whopping four in five Brits experiment with unusual flavours, and almost a quarter have a 'guilty pleasure' when it comes to unconventional food combinations, Crisps and chocolate Cheese and chocolate Crisps in jam sandwich Chips and milkshake Cheese and bananas Apples with salt and pepper Avocado and chocolate Popcorn and hot sauce Tuna and marmite Gherkins and peanut butter Rather than using actual eggs, the mum whipped up the first meal of the day with a ''scrambled egg mix'' - which was essentially just a powder. To add some extra boost of protein, Michelle also threw in a generous amount of bacon - that had been freeze dried. The gut-churning concoction called for half a cup of the scrambled egg mix which she dissolved with warm water, as well as the bacon bits - which needed to be re-hydrated with cold water. For extra flavour and texture the mum also chucked in some freeze fried cheddar cheese that had to go in the water before as well. Once the egg mixture was ready, Michelle cooked it on the pan, before squeezing the water out of the shredded cheese and throwing a spoonful of the watery bacon. Showing off the final result on her page, the mum tried to convince the viewers it was ''good'' - and the rest of the brood agreed, with the dad dubbing the dish ''yummy''.
Scotsman
12-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Wetherspoons adds four new gourmet burgers to its menu
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now These sound delicious 🍔 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Wetherspoons will be adding four new gourmet burgers The burgers are; Cheese Meltdown, The Big Smoke, Buffalo and BBQ Stack The new burgers will join Wetherspoons existing burger range Wetherspoons has announced a brand-new range of burgers, which will launch on its menu from Wednesday May 14. The four brand-new burgers being added to Wetherspoons list are 'gourmet', and join Wetherspoons' already existing burger range. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The gourmet burgers include; Cheese Meltdown, The Big Smoke, Buffalo and BBQ Stack. Wetherspoons: Four brand-new gourmet burgers added to menu | Fiona Hanson/PA Wire The Cheese Meltdown includes the choice of beef (6oz beef patty) or fried buttermilk chicken, with American-style cheese, emmmental and cheddar cheese sauce. The Big Smoke includes BBQ beef brisket, American-style cheese, maple-cured bacon, with a choice of beef (6oz beef patty) or fried buttermilk chicken. Buffalo includes fried buttermilk chicken, blue cheese sauce, Naga chilli sauce, American-style cheese and a spicy chicken wing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad BBQ stack is a plant-based patty, with six onion rings and BBQ sauce. Wetherspoons' existing burger range includes; beef burgers, double beef burgers, chicken burgers and meat-free burgers. Wetherspoons range of gourmet burgers are served with six beer-battered onion rings, iceberg lettuce, tomato and red onion and chips or side salad. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad All of Wetherspoons' beef burgers are made with 100 per cent British beef, which is freshly cooked to order. The buttermilk chicken is made with 100 per cent chicken breast, and marinated in buttermilk. Wetherspoons burgers are part of a deal which includes a drink, with the options to choose alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said: 'We are always keen to offer our customers the widest choice of good quality meals at value-for-money prices. 'We believe the four new burgers will prove popular with a wide range of customers at our pubs.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If you have a food and drink story to share with us, we'd love to hear from you. You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at w It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Business Mayor
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Wetherspoons Early May Bank Holiday 2025: What time are pubs open on May 5?
WETHERSPOONS has been serving customers since 1979, going on to become one of the UK's biggest pub chains. It is a beloved place to meet friends, but some punters have been asking if Wetherspoons will stay open over the Early May Bank Holiday. 2 Wetherspoons will be breaking a trend over the bank holiday Credit: Getty Images Wetherspoons is always popular with Brits, but its pubs become even busier over bank holiday weekends. The chain of pubs extended its hours over the New Year period to allow its fans to ring in 2025 in their favourite place to drink. It even offered a full lunch on Christmas Day when nearly every other restaurant closed. The Early May Bank Holiday in 2025 is no exception for Wetherspoons — all of its pubs will remain open, unlike many other food and drink establishments. However, some branches may operate different hours, so ask a member of staff about your local pub's opening times. Wetherspoons was first opened in 1979 in London by Tim Martin. It takes its name from a JD Hogg, a character in The Dukes of Hazzard, and one of Tim's teachers in New Zealand. Since then, the chain has ballooned in size and now has over 800 locations across the UK. Wetherspoons' recipe for success Wetherspoons' low cost meals and alcoholic drinks make it an eternal high street favourite. There are many other bank holidays still to come in the UK. Scotland and Wales also celebrate their own bank holiday dates, giving workers even more time off. 2 The much-loved 'Spoons Christmas menu ends on December 31 England and Wales May 5, 2025 – Early May bank holiday May 26, 2025 – Spring bank holiday August 25, 2025 – Summer bank holiday December 25, 2025 – Christmas Day December 26, 2025 – Boxing Day Scotland May 5, 2025 – Early May bank holiday May 26, 2025 – Spring bank holiday August 4, 2025 – Summer bank holiday December 1, 2025 – St Andrew's Day December 25, 2025 – Christmas Day December 26, 2025 – Boxing Day Northern Ireland May 5, 2025 – Early May bank holiday May 26, 2025 – Spring bank holiday July 14, 2025 – Battle of the Boyne August 25, 2025 – Summer bank holiday December 25, 2025 – Christmas Day December 26, 2025 – Boxing Day Bank holiday opening times for your fave shops Make sure you read this before heading out on a bank holiday. Get all the other opening times and bank holiday news here. READ SOURCE
