MK Advertiser Blog

The Embankment re-opens in style; Bedford’s landmark riverside pub brought back to life by award-winning team, ready to burst back onto the Bedfordshire scene as a great local and a great place to eat, party and stay  26^th March 2009:  The Embankment has been given a brand new lease of life.  This wonderful pub sitting on Bedford’s beautiful riverside re-opens today after an eight week refurbishment, during which every inch of the late-Victorian building has been lovingly restored to create a really great place to eat, drink, party and stay.  After taking on the lease of the imposing mock-Tudor fronted hotel from Bedford’s family-owned brewer, Charles Wells last year, award-winning independent pub company Peach has set about turning it into a really welcoming pub with rooms and a friendly bar where you can enjoy a delicious plate of freshly cooked, seasonal food and a perfectly chilled glass of wine or simply sit down and read the paper over a decent pint.  The huge bay windows of the bar overlook the new terrace and, just beyond, the beautifully maintained Embankment Gardens and the River Great Ouse.  For anyone who can’t tear themselves away from the stunning river view, there are also 20 really comfortable bedrooms all with en-suite facilities, where you’ll be sure of a good night’s sleep and in the morning a fine breakfast to set you up for the day.  The Embankment’s the ideal place to stay if you’re in town just visiting, on business or up for the weekend, as well as being a great pub serving good food and drink all through the day.  “We’re thrilled to be re-opening the doors of this historic pub and looking forward to welcoming back existing guests and to sharing with new ones everything The Embankment has to offer,” says Andrew Coath, former British Institute of Innkeeping’s Licensee of the Year who runs two other award-winning pubs in the area, The Black Horse in Woburn and The Swan at Salford, as well as taking on The Embankment. “This is a fabulous pub and it’s been a privilege to have had the chance to bring it back to life and create a local to be proud of, a place you can meet friends for a drink, eat a good meal and hold fantastic parties.”

Christophe Perney has been appointed new head chef of The Embankment Hotel in Bedford, the third site, acquired last May, by Peach joint venture partner and former BII Licensee of the Year Andrew Coath.  Christophe qualified in France and trained in Paris under Joël Robuchon and then at the Park Lane in London before relocating to the UK. Moving to North London, he went to work at Chez Tonton in Barnet and then at Sopwell House in St Albans, before deciding to set up the first of three businesses as Chef-Patron in Hertfordshire. The Waggoners near Welwyn, The Tilbury in Datchworth and The Boot in Chipperfield all reflected his classic French background and growing passion for working with British seasonal ingredients.  Attracted by the prospect of holding sway in the kitchen whilst having the support and energy of a vibrant company like Peach behind him, Christophe joined the new team being built by Andrew at The Embankment.   Since taking over the 20 bedroomed hotel, pub and restaurant in May, that team has already reversed the fortunes of the site.  A major refurbishment is now underway to restore the riverside venue and open a totally new-look Embankment at the end of March.

As previously announced The Theatre Royal Haymarket is launching its next season with the production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot under the artistic directorship of Sean Mathias and staring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart.  Waiting for Godot will tour the UK prior to its opening in London in April.  Designs are by Stephen Brimson Lewis and lighting is by Paul Pyant.  Waiting for Godot is produced by the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company in partnership with Duncan C. Weldon Productions Ltd. 

The show is set to tour to Milton Keynes Theatre on the 16^th – 21^st March 2009.  The Theatre Royal Haymarket is delighted to announce that as part of the Company’s commitment to involving young people and our close association with Masterclass (www.masterclass.org.uk) we will be offering the opportunity for two young individuals from the Milton Keynes area to take a featured role alongside the cast of Waiting for Godot. Ian and Patrick are looking forward to working in rehearsal with two boys at each venue on tour and we hope that this opportunity will provide an invaluable learning experience for two young aspiring actors. The Company is looking for two boys to play alternate performances and will be auditioning for the parts in open auditions on the 9 – 10^th December 2008. They will be playing the age of 10 years but the auditions will be open to boys up to 15 years of any ethnicity. DDay One of auditions will be Open Auditions and Day Two will be recalls for successful applicants from the first round. Every boy who is auditioning needs to be available for both of the auditions days, the dates of the performance in March and be on call for up to two weeks before opening night. For the successful boys rehearsals will take place the week before the production’s arrival at the venue. They will be conducted by Paul Warwick-Griffin, the assistant director for the production. Ian and Patrick will then rehearse with the boys on the Sunday afternoon before opening night on the Monday.  All boys that are interested in auditioning need to get an audition pack from the Milton Keynes Theatre by visiting www.trh.co.uk . In this there is a registration form which they need to fill in and return information about the audition and a piece of dialogue which they need to prepare. The open auditions will commence at 3pm with the last auditions being held at 7.30pm. Each boy will audition in a group of up to 20 and it will last for half an hour. All boys and their parents or guardians are warned that there could be long waiting times due to the numbers auditioning. Boys are allowed to turn up on the day if they haven’t registered though waiting times could be longer. Waiting for Godot follows two consecutive days in the lives of tramps, Vladimir (Patrick Stewart) and Estragon (Ian McKellen), who divert themselves by clowning around, joking and arguing, while waiting expectantly and unsuccessfully for the mysterious Godot.  Beckett’s Waiting for Godot exploded on to the London stage over 50 years ago when it shocked as many people as it delighted. Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, both renowned Shakespearean actors at Stratford-upon-Avon, in the West End and on Broadway, first worked together in Tom Stoppard’s Every Good Boy Deserves Favour for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977 and more recently in the X-Men films, as Magneto and Professor X.  Each of them has established their own iconic screen persona, as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and as Star Trek’s Jean-Luc Picard. Ian McKellen makes his Beckett debut as Estragon.  He will play alongside Patrick Stewart following their onscreen rivalry in the X-Men films.  McKellen has previously collaborated with Sean Mathias who has directed him as Uncle Vanya, the Captain in Dance of Death and as Widow Twankey twice.  Since he started acting in 1961, he has worked non-stop on stage and screen.  For the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Companies, McKellen has produced and acted in plays old and new, most recently on the RSC’s world tour as King Lear. He produced and wrote the screenplay for his Richard III and was nominated for an Oscar for Gods and Monsters and for Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings.  He recently played in Coronation Street and has just completed ITV’s remake of The Prisoner. Patrick Stewart is currently playing Claudius/Ghost in Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford before transferring to the Novello Theatre later this year.  Earlier this year he won an Evening Standard Award, a Critics’ Circle Award, a TMA Theatre Award, a Theatregoers’ Choice Award nomination, an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination, a Laurence Olivier Award nomination, and a Tony Award nomination for playing the title role in Rupert Goold’s Chichester Festival Theatre production of Macbeth which subsequently transferred to the West End and then Broadway.  His many other appearances for the RSC include The Tempest and Antony and Cleopatra both in Stratford and at the Novello Theatre.  His other London theatre credits include A Life in The Theatre and The Masterbuilder and in New York his credits include Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Ride Down Mount Morgan and The Tempest.  Stewart performed his acclaimed, award winning one-man show, A Christmas Carol, both in the West End and on Broadway.  His many film and television credits include the X-Men films, Moby Dick, King of Texas and King Lear, as well as his role as Jean-Luc Picard in the Star Trek series.  Stewart was made an OBE in 2001.

We are holding a Golf Day in remembrance of Dee Hemindinger, one of our great supporters at The Swan and Black Horse and whom we worked with on many occasions supporting her work raising funds for Macmillan care in MK..
We really hope you are able to join us.

Charity Golf Day Friday 7th November Millbrook Golf Course in aid of Macmillan.
The day is £55 per person with all proceeds to Macmillan. There will be Bacon Sandwiches and Coffee to start and soup and a sandwich for lunch followed by dinner at The Black Horse Woburn. There will be prizes for the best place team of 4 as well as the longest drive on a par 5 and nearest to the pin on par 3.

All bookings must be made by 1st November from our website www.blackhorsewoburn.co.uk/NewsEvents.asp

Please see The Millbrook website for directions and their dress code. www.themillbrook.com

Milton Keynes Conference 2008

Inside Ex Milton Keynes is now in its 5th successful year and is a business-to-business event which has been acclaimed to be an unparalleled success by visitors and exhibitors. Held for the second time at the impressive STADIUM:MK on the 7TH NOVEMBER 2008, the event will kick off with THE BIG BREAKFAST networking event, sponsored by CREDIT SUISSE, which will include a presentation from MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN Head of UK Research and Global Asset Allocation for Credit Suisse. 

There is an extensive exhibition with a cross section of excellent trading opportunities and plenty of scope to meet new clients. Our celebrity guest speaker at our CHARITY LUNCH event, sponsored by BARCLAYS COMMERCIAL, is TEDDY SHERINGHAM MBE, so if you or you have clients that would like to join us for a very entertaining afternoon please get in touch to book your places. We are also very pleased to have the BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE TROPHY at the event and there will be photo opportunities with Teddy and the Trophy prior to the lunch event.

During the afternoon we have an excellent FREE MARKETING SEMINAR with TONY ANDERSON, one of the UK’s top marketing experts, who has worked with companies including Thomas Cook, British Airways, EasyJet and EGG. Don’t miss out on this years Inside Ex Milton Keynes, booking now, for what is proving to be the prime event in the business calendar. 

Please call 01908 545 380 to find out more.

MK Reviews has now expanded to include theatre reviews from MK Theatre. Keep an eye out for all the latest reviews, news and details on shows not to be missed in Milton Keynes. Philip Shell has already reviewed My Fabulous Divorce (see below) and he will be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest shows over the coming season…..

My Brilliant Divorce

 Wednesday night saw the openig of the Autumn Season at Milton Keynes Theatre, with the play My Brilliant Divorce by Geraldine Aron; and what a fantastic start to the season it was.

The pay revolves around Angela played by the versatile and extremely funny Dillie Keane. The only other casr member is her dog, Axl who is a toy on wheels. This was a master class in humour and deliverance, and was excellently executed by Dillie. Her use of facial expressions and observational mannerisms brought the wonderful script of Geraldine Aron to life and lead the audience on a wonderful…..click here to read more….

Budget Rent-a-Car’s success as one of the top three global car and van rental companies was demonstrated once again when it recently scooped the Institute of Transport Management (ITM) ‘UK Car Rental Company of the Year 2008′ award.

The ITM annual awards recognise companies both large and small which have made exceptional contributions to the transport industry. Budget was chosen for its dedication to the industry by providing consistently good value, quality car rental and excellent customer service despite tough market conditions.

Andy Lewis, Head of Marketing and E-Commerce, Budget Rent-a-Car said: “We are honoured to receive this recognition, particularly as we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year.

“The award is an acknowledgement of our continued commitment to the industry and our customers. We are dedicated to providing the highest levels of service, and are continually striving to set new standards in car rental.”

Patrick Sheedy, Media and PR Director for the ITM added: “Budget Rent-a-Car stands out from the crowd by maintaining excellent rates for the ordinary customer and consistently providing quality products and services while operating the highest standards of business practice.”

We are obviously delighted to be part of a Budget Car & Van Rental network that is recognised as providing quality service at excellent rates by the Institute of Travel Management.

Our aim to not simply to maintain such high standards but to continually strive to exceed them.

We look forward to being of service to you.

Spooners Restaurant are holding a first class seafood buffet on 22 August where you’ll have the chance to also enjoy a drink from their Pimms fountain on arrival. Why not join them and open some crab legs, peel some shrimp, sip some clam chowder and enjoy the wonderful seafood salads, a variety of seafood dishes, vegetables, salad bar and much more. Do not forget to leave room for our mouthwatering desserts. Only £35 per person.

Starters include Mushroom julienne, Fish soup, Smoked salmon and leek tart, Smoked sturgeon bliny, An exotic fruit platter with cassis puree. Main Course (Buffet) includes colossal cocktail shrimp, giant snow crab legs, Russian style dill-poached crayfish, langoustine and poached Lobster, all served with special house cocktail sauce. Salmon poached in a dry white wine and sturgeon kebab served with a tarragon and watercress creme-fraiche sauce. Fresh anchovies in brine and a delicious selection of shell-fish.

From the salad bar you’ll have a choice of mixed green salad, grilled peppers, marinated mushrooms, coleslaw salad, Russian pickles, Seafood salad, sliced tomato, onions and cucumber plus the Chef’s slection of dressings.

Finally from the dessert menu, there is a choice of Chocolate Fondue with seasonal fruits, Baked Camembert with crudities, Napoleon, multi-layered home made puff pastry, filled with delicious home made custard, Baby meringue with seasonal fruit and vodka compote or Home made Tiramisu with filtered coffee to finish.

Please call 01908 584 385 for reservations.

Jonathan Todd, owner of The Plough in Wavendon, had a second reason to celebrate at his restaurant during a black tie dinner for the restaurant’s first birthday celebrations on Wednesday 16th July.

Restaurant Guide publisher, Paul Allen, from the Foodie Square Guide, awarded The Plough Wavendon as ‘Buckinghamshire Restaurant of the Year 2008.’ The annual award - in its sixth year - was bestowed upon the restaurant as voted for by the readers of The Foodie Square Guide.

Paul Allen commented : “The restaurants we feature in The Foodie Square Guide are recommended to us by our readers. Nominations are received from the readers and restaurant goers across Buckinghamshire and beyond - throughout the year, and the annual ‘Restaurant of the Year’ award is announced in July. We are extremely pleased to see The Plough Wavendon achieve this in their first year of trading. We take into account all our customer comments and feedback and this is used to determine the winner of the award. Jon Todd, Grant and his remarkable team have done Buckinghamshire proud with their attention to detail from the food and wine, to the landscaped areas. Congratulations to them on becoming Buckinghamshire Restaurant of the Year 2008.”

Todd commented, “We are extremely proud of The Plough’s latest award. It is testament to the commitment and ideals our restaurant offers the diners here in the Milton Keynes countryside. Grant is passionate about the food and service we deliver. His support for local businesses, and in turn the local economy allows him to further enhance his position as one of the region’s leading chefs: something that I, as a successful Milton Keynes businessman, fully appreciate and support. He can justifiably be proud of this award - it is voted for by the public and is a glowing confirmation of their support in what he does.”

Chef Grant Hawthorne commented “It’s been my ambition to become the best restaurant here at The Plough Wavendon. I have been given an amazing opportunity to do so and I’m extremely grateful for the support of Jon in helping me to achieve this. Our award-winning, fine dining restaurant in Milton Keynes is where my passion and demonstration of the art and craft of cooking is to be found. I’m humbled by the guest’s recognition and respectful of the honour that goes with this Foodie Award. What a wonderful birthday surprise!”

Grant recently launched his 9-course summer Degustation menu, with the added option of having a flight of wines to match each course. He added “The Plough’s complimentary luxury transport, 400 bin wine list and some of the UK’s best dishes are to be found here, 7 miles from Central Milton Keynes. The tasting menu simply adds to our fine dining experience.”

Drop into the Embankment Hotel in Bedford for a bite to eat or a drink and you’ll notice a fair few changes about the place. That’s because Andrew Coath, the new owner of the imposing half-timbered Victorian inn on Bedford’s riverside has already been hard at work with his team trying out some fantastic new dishes on the menu as well as giving the pub a much-need facelift.

Andrew is something of an expert when it comes to opening great pubs serving outstanding quality, fresh food and drink in friendly and relaxed surroundings. His two other pubs in the area - The Black Horse in Woburn and The Swan in Salford - have both helped put good food firmly on the map locally and given everyone a warm welcome to everyone who steps foot inside. Andrew has picked up a number of awards along the way, including being named Food Pub Manager of the Year 2007 and winning the British Institute of Innkeeping’s Licensee of the Year Award, making him officially the best landlord in Britain last year.

Now he’s looking forward to creating another lovely place to eat, drink and stay in Bedford. “The Embankment’s got so much going for it, being in such a great place overlooking the river and just a stone’s throw from the town centre” he says. “Already we’ve transformed what’s on the menu; we’ve raised the quality of the food, bring in fresh, simple dishes made by chefs with the best seasonal produce we can buy. We’ve introduced delicious afternoon teas and morning coffees and some great new wines, ales and beers. And that’s just a start; later in the year we’ll be joined by a new head chef who trained with the Roux brothers who’ll be bringing even more exciting ideas to the menu. We’re also planning to complete a revamp of the pub as well as every one of the 20 hotel rooms, so by early 2009, it’s all going to look quite different!”

Work will commence on the refit later in 2008, with the new Embankment Hotel officially launched in February next year. Until then, Andrew wants to make sure as many people as possible know about the positive changes at the pub.

“We’re working hard to create a really wonderful place to relax and enjoy great food where people can feel really at home” adds Andrew. “We believe that our place should be your place and want to give the people of Bedford the kind of home they can be truly proud to call their local.”

Andrew is one of the Directors of the award-winning Peach Pub Company, who have a small group of pubs renowned for great quality food, drink and service across the midlands and the North Home Counties. Peach is one of the brightest companies in the pub world and is run by people who love food, like to have fun, and care about the planet.