LAURA TROTT became a household name by scooping two gold medals at her first Olympic Games in London in 2012. Here she opens up about her weekends and obsession for EastEnders.

Track and road cyclist Laura Trott OBE began her cycling career at the age of eight.

A four-time world team pursuit champion, she became a household name by scooping two gold medals at her first Olympic Games in London in 2012. More recently, she was crowned women’s 2014 British Cycling Road champion. Laura, 22, will take part in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next week. She lives in Stockport with her Olympic gold-winning cyclist boyfriend Jason Kenny.

“I train six days a week and it’s pretty intense, with early starts and late finishes. So when I do have a rest weekend, I like to put my feet up. On Friday nights, Jason will cook. He’s not bad in the kitchen, although more often than not we’ll have his staple pasta and tuna dish. Then we’ll watch EastEnders – I’m obsessed and can’t miss an episode!

“I like to be in bed by 10pm. I get grumpy if I haven’t had a good 10-hour sleep. In an ideal world I’d have a lie-in, but our two dogs never allow us to sleep late. They’re gorgeous little sproodles [a cross between a springer spaniel and a poodle] called Sprolo and Pringle and they’re yapping and full of energy by 8am. So Jason and I will go for a cycle and they’ll run alongside us around the country lanes near where we live.

“In the afternoon, we’ll go over to Jason’s parents’ house. They’ll make us bacon sandwiches for lunch and we’ll stay for the whole afternoon. His dad makes a mean curry for dinner too and we’ll watch TV. I love the Outnumbered box set, I find it hilarious.

“Sunday is a lazy day. We’ll spend most of the morning in our pyjamas, before taking the dogs for a walk and then head over to our favourite pub, The Church Inn, Mobberley, for a roast lunch. Jason loves motor racing, so if there’s a Grand Prix on TV we have to be back in time to watch it. In the evening, we’ll relax with a film, but there are always arguments. Jason loves action films – I’d rather watch a romantic comedy. Then it’s off to bed, as we’ll both be up at the crack of dawn for training.

“I’ve a lot on at the moment, with the Commonwealth Games, and I’m taking part in the Prudential RideLondon event in August, too.”

Propel Quarterly Winter 2013

Propel Quarterly Winter 2013

The Three Greyhounds Inn in Allostock has beaten off competition from 1300 other pubs to be named Best Food Pub in national awards run by Heineken owned Star Pubs & Bars this week.

Noting the pub’s busy car park, the judges were impressed by how quickly owners Tim Bird and Mary McLaughlin had established the pub as a great place to eat within just a year of re-opening. Describing it as a ‘shining light’, they also singled out the distinctive menu with its focus on food from British farms.

Indeed it was the opportunity to offer food at the Three Greyhounds Inn that attracted Tim and Mary to take on the pub and to invest £250,000 restoring it into a beautiful traditional pub serving excellent locally sourced food. “The pub had been shut for four months and was in a sad state when we first saw it,” recalls Tim. “But it had real character and as the only pub in the Allostock area was crying out for some TLC and to be turned back into a pub that the local community could be proud of.”

The 300-year-old pub’s history as a farm inspired Tim and Mary with the menu theme. The menu is a celebration of food from British farms with as much produce as possible from meat and vegetables to ice cream and chutney coming from Cheshire farms. For an added twist, the pub also specialises in British farm cheeses and offers a choice of eight brandies produced on a Somerset farm.

“We’ve been surprised and delighted by the variety of wonderful food being produced on Cheshire farms, from chocolate to asparagus, the quality is excellent,” says Tim.

The Three Greyhounds landlord James Griffiths and head chef Craig Wainwright received the coveted award at a gala celebration night from snooker champion John Parrott. “We’re humbled but very proud to have been selected to win the award. We didn’t seek the nomination which made winning a great surprise and a real boost for our 25 staff and 5 chefs. Some people think that rundown pubs are a lost cause, this award helps us prove there will always be a place for a well-cared for traditional community local.”

Tim and Mary are not resting on their laurels after their win, with plans for a private dining room, guest bedrooms and a regular farmers market at the Three Greyhounds Inn on the cards.

CHESHIRE Cat Pubs and Bars, a leisure business founded by two experienced operators, has opened its fifth site – the fourth in this region.

The company has relaunched the Church Inn in Mobberley, Cheshire, after buying the premises with the support of HSBC.

Cheshire Cat was launched in 2008 by Tim Bird and his wife, Mary Mclaughlin. Mr Bird is a former MDr of Brunning and Price and the Freehouse Pub Company within the Restaurant Group, and has also held senior roles with pub companies including Morrells of Oxford and Eldridge Pope.

Mary Mclaughlin is a former managing director of Spanish tapas chain La Tasca and grew it from three to more than 70 restaurants nationwide.

The company opened the Grade II Listed pub’s doors earlier this month following an eight week refurbishment.

The other pubs in the Cheshire Cat portfolio are The Red Lion in Dorset, The Bulls Head in Mobberley, The Cholmondeley Arms near Malpas and The Three Greyhounds Inn in Allostock near Knutsford.

All the Cheshire pubs within the group are based in country locations and all five pubs have a strong emphasis on quality food and drink in friendly, comfortable and relaxing surroundings.

Mr Bird said: “The Church Inn is only 15 miles from the centre of Manchester and enjoys some beautiful Cheshire countryside. It was in a near derelict state when we acquired it and we have restored the building, ensuring we have been sympathetic to its original features and construction.

“We’re sure it will be a hit with local residents and people from further afield.”

Funding was arranged by HSBC senior commercial manager David Woodward. The deal involved dividing ownership of the property between the limited company business and the two directors’ Self Invested Personal Pensions.

Jason Trigg, HSBC Manchester area commercial director, added: “This was a complex deal but we worked with our customers and local professionals to structure an arrangement that was suitable for all.
“Importantly, it means that a building with such history has been restored so it can be enjoyed by diners and drinkers.”