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- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 06-09-2022
The Checkers in Montgomery, which was reopened in March this year by new owners Andrew and Rachel Birch, has been awarded 5 silver stars by the AA in the restaurant with rooms category - a matching set to the 5 stars it already holds from Visit Wales and a great achievement for the team. Rachel Birch said, “We are so pleased with this achievement, and a big thank you to all the staff.” Mayor Jill Kibble commented, “Great news - and in such a short time too. Well done all at the Checkers!” Chef Andrew Birch stepped out of the restaurant last Saturday to give a demonstration at the Newtown Food Festival, cooking up his signature dish of laverbread risotto and steamed plaice in the festival kitchen. Audience member Pat Griffiths commented, “Fab food demo. Definitely the best risotto and fish we have ever tasted! Amazing! Thank you!” Andrew said, “It was very exciting to be part of the local event and I hope this is something we can build upon in the future.” The Checkers restaurant is open for lunch on Thursday to Sunday and dinner on Wednesday to Saturday with booking strongly advised. Andrew and Rachel focus on using the highest quality produce, locally sourced wherever possible, and creating the best in taste with their knowledge and ingenuity. Andrew is never short of ideas and is planning handing the kitchen to a guest master chef on the last Sunday of the month as well as running cookery school events. For information and to book online go to www.checkerswales.co.uk The Checkers is also currently looking for additional restaurant and front of house staff - get in touch for details via info@checkerswales.co.uk Photo: Andrew and Rachel Birch pictured outside The Checkers restaurant earlier in the year
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0 St David’s Day Reception for Trefaldwyn Cheese
- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 08-03-2022
On Tuesday 1st March, Clare Jones from Trefaldwyn Cheese was lucky enough to be invited to London by the Prime Minister for a St David’s Day Reception at 10 Downing Street. Unfortunately, due to the current situation in Ukraine, Boris Johnson was unable to attend, but Simon Hart, the Minister for Wales, hosted the reception instead. Clare said, “It was great to walk through the front door of number 10. Inside, there were daffodils everywhere and a Welsh choir was singing.” The event was a celebration of Wales and its people, and to showcase its impact on a national and global scale. People from all walks of life and every part of Wales came together to celebrate, including representatives from the NHS, the military, sport, businesses, and charities. Also among those present were the fashion designer Julien Macdonald and the adventurer and television presenter Bear Grylls. Clare added, “It was a fantastic opportunity for us to attend the reception and represent the food industry in Wales. We even saw Larry, the Downing Street cat!”
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0 Montgomery welcomes top chefs as The Checkers set to reopen
- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 05-03-2022
After a period as self-catering accommodation, The Checkers will now reopen as a restaurant under the stewardship of master chef Andrew Birch and his wife Rachel, a pastry chef. Once again, The Checkers is set to become a star in the crown of culinary Montgomery following in the footsteps of Michelin star chef Stéphane Borie who ran the restaurant for many years. Andrew and Rachel have had an illustrious career in a number of notable restaurants in the UK but it had long been a dream to have their very own establishment. When they came to the area to visit Wagyu beef farmer, Ifor Humphreys, they popped into Montgomery and immediately felt an affinity with the fine old town and since then have kept an eye on places to run their restaurant. Andrew has featured on Great British Menu on BBC2, and in 2016 was one of the chefs representing Wales. He has been head chef at The Bell in Monmouthshire and Fishmore Hall in Ludlow to name but two, and brings his imagination and expertise to Montgomery. Andrew and Rachel will be opening The Checkers on March 25th and are already fully booked for their first evening of 30 covers in the newly refurbished restaurant. They will focus on using the highest quality produce, locally sourced wherever possible, and creating the best in taste with their knowledge and ingenuity. Expect some very fine dining and, if you really want to make a night of it, the restaurant offers four beautifully furnished rooms and guests can book in for an evening meal, bed and breakfast. For people planning a special event, Andrew and Rachel will be happy to book the whole restaurant and rooms for a party of visitors. The pair will be offering dinner on Wednesday evenings then lunch and dinner on Thursday through to Saturday and a traditional lunch on Sunday. Andrew is never short of ideas and is planning handing the kitchen to a guest master chef on the last Sunday of the month as well as running cookery school events. Andrew and Rachel and their two children Elizabeth and Albert have been warmly welcomed to Montgomery by residents and fellow business owners. Elizabeth is loving Montgomery Primary School whilst Albert, who is just two, is looking forward to Mini Montys. The children recently met up with Mayor, Jill Kibble, who was promptly questioned by Elizabeth on whether she wore a crown or a tiara. The Mayor is considering which she will choose for her first visit to this fine addition to Montgomery that is sure to bring new business to the retail and accommodation providers in the lovely old town. For information and to book online go to www.checkerswales.co.uk Photo: The Checkers sign is repainted by Franklin Signs in preparation for the restaurant reopening later in March
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- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 10-01-2022
Cari Davies’ debut novel ‘On the Border’, described by one reviewer as "a love letter to the landscape of the Welsh heart", has been entered by its publishers for Wales Book of the Year 2022. This annual literary award celebrates the best creative writing and literary criticism in both Welsh and English, with a Welsh theme or a Welsh writer. There are four categories: poetry, creative fiction, creative nonfiction, and children and young people. The 2021 overall winner was ‘Salt’ by Catrin Kean. A short-list will be drawn up in the spring of three books in each category, from which winners will be announced in the summer. All shortlisted books will be eligible for the Independent People's Choice awards which also runs annually and will see its winner announced in the summer. Cari Davies is the pen name of Sheila Hawdon who grew up in Montgomery, and chose to use her Welsh maiden name as she embarked on her career as an author. Her Welsh family, and the community and town of Montgomery, were the springboard for her imagination during the writing of ‘On the Border’. Sheila says of the nomination, “It’s nice of my publishers to do this for me and to have my book considered. Thanks to everyone in Montgomery for their support, and wish me luck!” Sheila is currently in Australia, with hopes to return to Wales when covid restrictions are lifted. ‘On the Border’ can be purchased from Cambria Publishing, Wales, as well as being on Amazon and Kindle, and available to bookstores through Ingram - so you can also call into Montgomery Bookshop (Eaves & Lord) to order it.
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- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 30-12-2021
Katrina Collins’ Shed38 Supperclub has celebrated a successful first year of different dining experiences, with old friends and new. Each month sees a five-course tasting menu hosted at a relaxed and fun event in a home or garden, sometimes with a theme, and even the occasional murder mystery thrown in! Supperclub attendees don’t know where they will be going until they book; who will be there until they arrive; and of course what the menu is until the food starts to be served! Brenda Pugh attended the Christmas supperclub with family and enjoyed an Edwardian-inspired menu. She said, “Many thanks for your amazing food. We had a really lovely night. What a surreal evening: a group of complete strangers, and within 3 hours are all singing together around the table. There were some ‘pinch me’ moments of very beautiful singing. Thanks Katrina - with all the uncertainty around us, nights like that mean so much.” Katrina ran supperclubs from her home many years ago and decided to revive this, with her daughter Polly as waitress, as a way of folk reconnecting after lockdown. She said, “People were still anxious about eating out and socialising, yet we’re desperate to get out and do things. The supperclub offered a safe way with limited numbers to do just that. The best part for the host is we take care of all the food, tableware, service and washing up - the host just provides the space, so they are free to enjoy the evening too.” January’s “Murder in Mexico” supperclub is already fully booked, but anyone interested in attending or hosting a future supperclub, or with another event they would like catering, can contact Katrina on katrivercollins@hotmail.com or 07484724113.
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0 Trefaldwyn Blue wins Big at the World Cheese Awards
- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 12-11-2021
Just weeks after announcing winning 2 stars at the Great Taste Awards, Trefaldwyn Blue has been named Best Welsh Cheese and awarded a coveted Gold at the World Cheese Awards, which were held in Oviedo, Spain on Wednesday 3rd November. Standing out from the crowd as thousands of entries were judged at the city’s awe-inspiring Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos, Trefaldwyn Blue impressed some of the world’s leading experts to collect this award. With more nations than ever represented at the World Cheese Awards this year, Trefaldwyn Blue has gained an internationally recognised seal of approval from a truly global cheese event, which returned to Spain this year to form part of the Asturias Paraíso Natural International Cheese Festival 2021. The 33rd edition of the World Cheese Awards was bigger and more international than ever before, featuring over 4,000 entries for the first time. The competing cheeses represented 45 different countries, including recent additions such as India, Guatemala, Japan and Colombia, as well as established cheesemaking nations such as France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The award-winning Trefaldwyn Blue is made by Montgomery cheese maker, Clare Jones, entirely by hand in small batches. Clare was previously a local primary school teacher and started making Trefaldwyn Blue in 2019. It is available from Castle Kitchen, Kerry Vale Vineyard and Spar in Montgomery, Derwen Farm Shop in Guilsfield, The Corner Deli in Clun, Cultivate in Newtown, Blasau Deli in Machynlleth, Ultracomida in Aberystwyth and Narberth, Camlan Farm Shop in Derwenlas, as well as further afield in the Mousetrap in Ludlow, Leominster and Hereford, The Cheese Shop and Cheerbrooks farm shop in Nantwich, Marches Deli in Abergavenny and The Little Cheesemonger in Rhuddlan and Prestatyn.
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0 Local cafe supports local crafters
- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 02-08-2021
Montgomery has a lot to offer in terms of arts and crafts, with the Charter Market each Thursday, a pop-up arts and collectables shop every Thursday and Saturday in Broad Street, and local artists and crafters being able to display and sell their pieces at the Ivy House Cafe. Denice Jaunzens, proprietor of the cafe and Montgomery’s post mistress, decided to host more arts and crafts in her cafe space to support other local businesses, provide interesting pieces for customers to see, and diversify her own business following the challenges of covid. Denice explained, “Covid changed the character and atmosphere of hospitality businesses, as well as meaning that I can only have two tables of cafe customers at a time. Hosting more arts and crafts has been a great use of my space and has given customers something to think and talk about.” Denice has always wanted the cafe to have a community feel. She said, “The Ivy House serves the community through the post office, and providing walk leaflets and information, and now I am displaying and selling affordable items made locally in the community too. The window displays, which are lit in the evenings as well, help to make Broad Street feel more vibrant for my Montgomery neighbours and visitors to the town.” Val Oram, who has her jewellery items on display at the cafe, said, “The cafe is a gem overlooking Broad Street which also supports local crafters by displaying a selection of hand-made items to browse and buy alongside its great food. I encourage everyone to shop local. You can support small businesses in your own community, and leave with a smile and a sparkle in your step.” Sharon Smith, who displays her Wild Welsh Wool pieces at the cafe as well as, like Val, bringing them to the Charter Market on a Thursday, said, “I was thrilled to be offered a window to display my Wild Welsh Wool items and very grateful to Denice for being given this wonderful opportunity. The cafe is a lovely, relaxing, friendly place with a great selection of crafts to buy. Montgomery is a delightful town which I like to support for all my shopping etc. Ivy House is my perfect place to sit and look out onto the town whilst enjoying a delicious cake and coffee.” Denice added, “Locals and visitors can consider Montgomery as a shopping destination throughout the year and when thinking of gifts. As well as lots of arts and crafts, there is also Bunners and the Book Shop.” Other local makers would be welcome to display at the Ivy House and can contact Denice on 07971 435157. Photo: Items from Sharon Smith’s Wild Welsh Wool on display in the front window at the Ivy House
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- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 17-01-2021
Farmhouse Breakfast Week is an annual highlight for the Farmers Union of Wales, showcasing all that is the best in Welsh and local farming. During the week, farmers sit around kitchen tables with friends, family and neighbours for a convivial breakfast, chat and a chance to compare notes. Despite the usual way of running the campaign not being possible this year, and not to be deterred by another national lock-down, local organic dairy farmer Glenn Lloyd and family sat down to a delicious breakfast sourced entirely locally. Glenn has himself recently established the thriving Daisy Bank organic milk business, supplying milk in returnable glass bottles, setting up local refill points and vending machines for milk, and producing a new line of naturally flavoured milks. Glenn commented “It’s not always easy to find the time to sit down for breakfast together on a busy dairy farm but as it’s Farmhouse Breakfast Week we made a special effort and determined to use only local produce.” The breakfast was made remarkably easy with Corfield’s eggs, Morwen’s bacon, Crowwood wild boar and apricot sausages, Daisy Bank milk (of course), a Montgomery Real Bread baguette and Amanda’s Bakery plum preserve, all sourced only a few miles from the Lloyds’ Llandyssil farm. These products are available at a range of shops in Montgomery. Shop manager at Taste, Katrina Collins, said: “Last year was so difficult for everyone including producers, with restaurants and other traditional outlets only open intermittently. Our producers have been creative and resourceful and went the extra mile to look after customers and build new markets. Several new high quality producers joined the Taste Montgomery group of local farmers and producers during the year, working together to help promote and sell their produce. I also opened the Taste shop in the town last year, which stocks produce from these and other local producers.” She added, “You can treat your closest family to a real, locally sourced breakfast without going further than Montgomery at any time of year.” The Farmers Union of Wales and local Montgomery producers are encouraging the public to get involved with Farmhouse Breakfast Week this week, by choosing locally sourced breakfast ingredients, and sharing photos and videos of themselves with their breakfast through social media, using the hashtag #breakfastweek2021.
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- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 28-09-2020
On a warm but windy September evening, Montgomery performer Nula Irwin and a small socially-distanced audience of her students, fans and followers set out up Town Hill, Montgomery for a unique sunset hula hoop show. The show by Nula Hula, which took place on the summit of the hill next to the County Memorial and toposcope, featured LED hoops which lit up after the sun had set behind the hills, street show style audience interaction (from a distance), and lots of tricks which were made much, much more challenging by the strength of the wind up on the hill that evening! Nula began the show by singing happy birthday to a boy of 7 who couldn't be sung to at school because of covid regulations. She then had the audience participating and laughing throughout. She said, “It was great to see some of the children that I have taught in Montgomery. It’s been such a long hard year with not much live interaction. I think it’s something the children especially will remember for a long time and it will stick out as one of the highlights of the year during this pandemic.” Nula had been inspired to put on the “pay as you like” informal show after having attempted a personal challenge to balance spinning 6 hoops on top of the hill over the summer. An amazed impromptu audience of walkers had enjoyed this surprise spectacle, and there was an enthusiastic response on social media to Nula’s photos of the trick. She was then further inspired by a BBC news report of Charlotte Mellor hooping on the fells of the Lake District. Having had only one performing tour in 2020, whereas previous years have seen up to 5 gigs in a single summer weekend, Nula had realised just how much she loved and missed performing with her hulas and couldn’t let the summer go by without a single show. Nula said, “This was such a special performance and honestly the highlight of my summer. We had a beautiful sunset but it was the windiest weather I’ve ever had for hula hooping! This made the tricks ridiculously hard, but the show must go on, and the atmosphere and setting were amazing!” She added, “Thank you so much to the children and adults who attended making it an evening to remember during these uncertain times!” The appreciative audience thanked Nula for the show they had enjoyed and threw money into her busking hat, which was much appreciated with so much work having been lost this year. Nula is keen to encourage everyone to support the arts wherever they can. Like many in the performing arts, Nula was devastated earlier in the year to find gigs and events being cancelled one by one and the events industry falling apart fast. She explained, “I didn’t cope very well and felt lost. It wasn’t really a job, it was a lifestyle. I was lucky that I got a small pay out from Equity Charitable Trust. I went out and found a job using my transferable skills to help vulnerable people as an activities coordinator. I’m very lucky to have found a great job in the pandemic which keeps me going, positive and focused.” When thinking to the future, Nula doesn’t have much hope that her industry will return to what it was. But she does have gigs on the calendar which have been postponed until 2021 and never wants to stop performing. She concludes, “Performing is part of who I am. I’m happy in my job right now, which gives me security and somewhere I can still be creative. Maybe I’ll do more busking in my free time. It really is uncertain times right now, so I couldn’t really say what the future holds for me or the performing and events industry.” https://www.facebook.com/nulahula/ Text: Claire Weston Photo: Jenny Brignell
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- Business
- by Montgomery Wales News Team
- 07-06-2019
This week’s zero waste exhibition and pop-up shop in Montgomery was an incredible time of new customers and new collaborations for Katrina Collins of SHED38. It was inspiring to see how many folk want to make changes to the waste in their home. On Monday night, Katrina was joined by 16 Montgomery Brownies who are working for their Plastic Free Badge. They talked about waste in their homes and she set them a challenge to make 5 changes: the first was to say no to plastic straws and to help them on their way they were given a bamboo straw each to take home. They were also given a plastic bottle each to fill with soft plastics at home and to bring along to a future project Katrina will be doing with them. Katrina said, "It was fabulous to see the Brownies' enthusiasm! They loved the plastic-free table of reusable items - face scrubbies, toothpaste tablets, wax wrappies etc. - and the lampshade made from 218 plastic spoons retrieved from a station cafe was their favourite item." New Mayor Haydn Andrew visited later in the week along with Mayoress Jane Lloyd. Jane said, “This excellent exhibition really opens your eyes on how much waste we all produce and different ways we can all deal with it. Kat is very knowledgeable in what we can all do to recycle and cut down on waste and exchange ideas.” Katrina concluded, "It was a successful week all round. I hope we can keep the momentum going and make Montgomery and the surrounding areas as waste-free as possible by making small steps to make lasting changes."