'YOUNGEST STAR' OF ULTIMATE FOOD GUIDE

Scunthorpe Telegraph Saturday 21st January 2006

A Talented chef at a prestigious restaurant has become one of the the youngest to receive a Michelin star.

Twenty-three year old Robert Thompson has worked at Winteringham Fields since October 2001, and has already taken part in the prestigious Roux Scholarship contest. He remained at the restaurant when new owners Colin McGurran and his wife Bex took over from Annie and Germain Schwab in August.

Mr McGurran, who was delighted at the news, said: "It is fantastic he has achieved this much so young, and it is great the restaurant has a Michelin star, because we've only been here for six months."

Winteringham Fields had two Michelin stars under the previous owners, but they could not be carried on to the new owners because stars have to be earned by the new owners when an establishment changes hands.

Mr McGurran said: "The editor of Michelin told me the only reason we lost a star was because of the takeover. It was nothing to do with the quality of the food. For me it is still a prestigious business and I am confident we will get the other one back next year."

Mr McGurran plans to reinforce the business's standards with the aim of getting back the extra star.

He said: "These stars are special because there are only 20 restaurants in the country which have two Michelin stars, and you can't just buy them by taking over a restaurant."

Increased involvement with suppliers from the area is planned for this year and the proprietors also want to concentrate on where they source their ingredients.

One new project will be to create their own herb garden and also grow some of their own vegetables.

Mr McGurran said: "We plan to increase the value of the food as well, because we don't want people to be deterred from coming here because they think it is too expensive.

"We want to create bubbles and get the team spirit together," he added.

"I want everyone in North Lincolnshire to be proud of having one of the best restaurants in the country."

 

Food for thought at county restaurants

David Hogg Yorkshire Post Friday 20th January 2006
 
YORKSHIRE restaurants have once again featured heavily in this year's Michelin star awards although one of the wider region's top establishments has slipped down the pecking order.

Six restaurants across the county maintained their single-star status, but the Winteringham Fields in North Lincolnshire went from two star to one star status.

And Pool Court at 42 in Leeds, the only restaurant in the city to pick up a Michelin star, closed after New Year's Eve because its owners moved to the South of France.

But culinary fans will be pleased to hear that Vennell's Restaurant in Masham, North Yorkshire, was a new recipient of a Bib Gourmand award which is given for serving "good food at moderate prices".

The list of Michelin-starred restaurants in the county now includes the Devonshire Arms Country House in Bolton Abbey, Pateley Bridge's Yorke Arms and The Star Inn at Helmsley - all in North Yorkshire - Ilkley's Box Tree and Sheffield's Old Vicarage.

A spokesman for Michelin said although the food at the Winteringham Fields was still very good the restaurant had recently changed management and judges decided they could not award two stars this year.

The stars are awarded to restaurants offering the finest cooking, regardless of the style of cuisine.

The independent judges who assess each establishment anonymously, take a particular interest in the quality, flavour, value for money and consistency of cooking.

They ignore interior decoration or table settings so a maximum three-star restaurant may also receive a lowly fork and spoon award - given to those businesses which are "comfortable but hardly luxurious".

No three Michelin stars for UK and Ireland

By Jessica Gunn, Caterer Search 19 January 2006

Michelin revealed today that there are no new three-star holders in its latest UK and Ireland guide.

Instead, this year's winners include 17 new one-star holders and one new two-star restaurant.
This year's only new two-star award went to Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Auchterarder. It is the first Scottish restaurant to win a coveted two stars in five years.

In London, new one-star awards were given to Amaya, Rasoi Vineet Bhatia, Nobu Berkeley, Maze and The Ledbury.

Outside of the capital, Torquay put itself on the culinary map with two new one-star awards going to The Elephant and Orestone Manor - the town's first ever Michelin awards.

Pubs have also now firmly proved their culinary rise with eight now making the one-star grade. This year two new pubs won a new star, The Hand & Flowers in Marlow and The Masons Arms at Knowstone near South Molton.

Commenting on his award, Tom Kerridge, chef-patron of The Hand & Flowers said: "It shows that you don't need a French maitre d' wearing a bad suit to win one."

New in this year's guide are restaurants tipped to improve their ratings next year. Both The Vineyard in Newbury, Berkshire and The Greenhouse in London have been tipped for two stars next year.

Going down in the Michelin stakes was Thornton's at the Fitzwilliam hotel in Dublin which dropped from two stars to one. Winteringham Fields in Lincolnshire also lost its second star.

PROMOTING FIRE SAFETY MESSAGE

Scunthorpe Telegraph Saturday 14th January 2006

Members of Winteringham Parish Council were asked to help get the fire safety message across at their January meeting.

The chairman welcomed six parish councillors to the meeting, as well as North Lincolnshire councillor Allan Smith, two officers from Winterton fire station and two members of the public. The meeting began with a presentation by the two fire officers. The officers wished to promote community fire safety and needed the help of parish councils to get this message across.

The fire officers will visit homes to give advice and will fit fire alarms free of charge to all households.

Winteringham parish councillors agreed to help get this message over by publishing details in the next newsletter and on the village internet site, and also to distribute the details to the organisations in the village.

The minutes of the meeting held on December 6 had been distributed to the councillors. It was agreed these were a true record and the matters arising were discussed.

The financial reports prepared by the clerk were presented and the councillors agreed to the payments being made this month.

The budget and precept for 2006/07 was then discussed and agreed. A letter will be sent to North Lincolnshire Council corporate finance department requesting a precept of £11,000.

Highway matters were discussed and the clerk will contact the highways maintenance department about several existing problems and new issues raised by the councillors.

It will be brought to the attention of the highways department that the salt bins are almost empty and need to be filled as quickly as possible before another period of bad weather.

Details of an application for permission to demolish a listed building had been received. The councillors discussed this at length and unanimously agreed to oppose the application.

The additional wall on the teen shelter had been erected and the invoice received.

Coun Rowbotham was not present so no report on the state of the playing field was available, although Coun Bateman said she had looked around earlier in the day and it appeared to be reasonably clean and tidy.

A village newsletter had been distributed during November. This issue had included news of many village events taking part during the Christmas period. It was agreed the next newsletter should be issued in time for any events at Easter to be included.

The correspondence received was read through. The clerk will reply to the correspondence as instructed by the councillors.

The next meeting of the parish council is on Tuesday, February 7, commencing at 7pm. Mr Broadmeadow will be speaking about affordable housing.

All meetings of the parish council are open to members of the public and time is allowed at the end of the meeting for those present to speak.

LIVES' SAVER OPERATION GETS OFF THE GROUND

Scunthorpe Telegraph Friday 13th January 2006

A Former one-man operation has blossomed into a real life saver for residents in one area of North Lincolnshire.

Self-employed businessman John Cook took action after he was advised to stop being a blood donor on medical grounds. "I decided I still wanted to help people, so I trained and qualified as a first responder," said Mr Cook (60), of Low Street, Winterton.

For two years, however, he was unable to act as an emergency service volunteer because he could not operate without back-up.

"Things changed when the Winterton Lions donated £1,000 to buy some emergency equipment," he said.

The Winterton First Responder Group went live five months ago, and since then has responded to more than 40 emergencies - in many cases saving lives.

Now the group has five qualified first responders and another three volunteers have started training with the founder member as their co-ordinator.

The group became 10-strong after Mr Cook's wife Barbara took on the role of secretary.

"We need even more volunteers if we are to achieve our ambition of offering a 24-hour lifeline to residents in the Winterton area," Mr Cook said.

"Our aim is to provide rapid emergency aid, including basic life support and early defibrillation.

"When a 999 call is received at ambulance control, they first dispatch an ambulance. If appropriate, a first responder for the area will be contacted by mobile phone and sent to the scene."

He added: "First responders often can be on the scene in a couple of minutes."

"This can prove vital, as ambulances cannot always get to our villages as quickly as they would like. On occasions it can be 10 to 15 minutes."

Mr Cook and his fellow volunteers cover Winterton, Winteringham, Roxby, Whitton, Alkborough and West Halton.

The £1,000 donation from the Lions, along with other donations ,helped the group finance the running costs in their first year of £4,000 - but the fundraising is ongoing.

Mr Cook said the running costs included a £1,600 fee payable to the Horncastle headquarters of the first responders to cover administration, insurance and training.

The rest went on equipment such as oxygen, disposable gloves, masks, and dressings. This money has to be raised by sponsorship and fundraising.

Among the major donors to the Winterton Group is the firm of Richtoy Motorsport Ltd, which has bought official fleece coats for the volunteers.

 

DRIVERS TO RENEW CAR TAX ONLINE

Scunthorpe Telegraph 11th January 2006

Residents in North Lincolnshire living in rural areas where Post Office services do not offer car tax should be looking forward to a new service letting drivers renew their tax online or by telephone,

The service will be of particular interest to residents in places such as Winteringham and Goxhill, where car tax cannot be purchased at the local post office. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling and supermodel turned racing driver Jodie Kidd launched the service provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

The new service links Britain's electronic insurance and MoT databases with the DVLA's vehicle records, cutting out much of the paperwork normally needed.

Drivers using the system will no longer need to present paper copies of their insurance and MoT to get a new disc. Instead they could complete a transaction online or by phone and get sent tax discs within three to five working days.

The DVLA said that by the end of this year, around 11-million drivers were expected to use the new system, with 19-million likely to use it by the end of 2007.

DVLA chief executive Clive Bennett said: ''Our customers will now be able to renew their car tax from home or even abroad, 24 hours a day, and seven days a week."

To use the service call 0870 850 4440 or visit www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk