Range of 30 low-cost items increase in price by 17 per cent in last year – ONS October 25, 2022 A range of 30 every-day low-cost items have increased in price by 17 per cent in the last year, new figures have revealed. Data from the Office for National Statistics show a range of products went up considerably over the 12 months to September, as the cost of living continues to bite. Items including vegetable [...]
Things to do in London this weekend, from ice skating to cocktails October 22, 2022 From ice skating to cocktail-sipping to balls of frenzied bees, this weekend is full of things to do in the capital. SOHO PLACE THEATRE It’s not every week you can visit a new West End theatre – in fact this is the first to open in more than 70 years. Located a stone’s throw from [...]
Ormer Mayfair by Sofian Msetfi is worth the hype October 19, 2022 When the AA Hospitality Awards bestow four AA Rosettes on a restaurant for the first time, it is probably worth taking notice. Especially when it is only one of three awarded the honour in London and the chef, Sofian Msetfi, is only 30. Welcome to Ormer. A stone’s throw from Green Park, this old-school, art-deco beauty [...]
National Mezcal Day: Where to celebrate this Friday October 19, 2022 Mezcal seems to have been on the brink of ‘going mainstream’ for at least a decade, and yet it still hovers somewhere just shy of something you’d actually order. This Friday is National Mezcal Day (not to be confused with national Mezcal Week, which was in May) – so take the opportunity to be won [...]
Old vines: Why you should care October 19, 2022 You may have seen the term “old vine” or “vieille vignes” on your wine label and wondered why it matters. Though there’s no legal definition, it usually means the vines are older than 25 years, but preferably over 50 or even 100. These wines are rarer because the older a vine gets, the less fruit [...]
How Hawkes Cidery is making liquid gold from unwanted apples October 13, 2022 If you happened to be at this weekend’s third-tier clash between Forest Green Rovers and Bolton Wanderers, you may have been greeted by a strange sight: fans turning up with bulging sacks of apples. The club – dubbed the most sustainable in the country – is working with Bermondsey-based cidermaker Hawkes in its annual bid [...]
Why it’s time to invest in port, and drink plenty too October 6, 2022 There has always been a special relationship between Portugal and Great Britain. Indeed, the Portuguese government declared three days of national mourning to honour the passing of her Majesty, the Queen. Equally, there’s something quintessentially British about serving a decanter of port at the end of a dinner party, passed around to one’s left of [...]
Where to eat, drink and sleep in Birmingham for Tory Party Conference October 2, 2022 On 2 october, Tory Party Conference kicks off in Birmingham. It remains to be seen whether the city famous for its Bull Ring will witness any blood sport following the fallout from the chancellor’s mini-budget. But whether it’s toasting the new PM or ruefully navel-gazing over Keir Starmer’s poll lead, the city’s hotels, restaurants, bars [...]
M Canary Wharf is both fun and elegant September 26, 2022 M restaurant has launched its newest incarnation in increasingly buzzy Canary Wharf, making the most of all the sky, steel and views over the water with floor to ceiling windows showcasing aspects and angles of the London skyline I had never seen before. Lights hang like flocks of seagulls above booths and tables designed to [...]
Alsace wines have bite as well as bark September 25, 2022 When I began to learn about wine in my early 20s, Alsace was a region I was drawn to. I loved the opulent richness of the wines, from the semi-sweet floral Gewurztraminer and Muscat to the broad strokes of the rounded Pinot Gris and complexity of the Rieslings. The good ones were balanced by a [...]