Faces & Places
Foster puts his oar in at Boathouse opening
Young's has celebrated the opening of the Boathouse, its new riverside pub in Putney, south-west London, with the help of Olympic gold medal-winning rower Tim Foster.
Foster, who was part of 2000's coxless four team, outside the new pub with the oar he used to win his title. Next to him is John Young, chairman of Young's brewery, which is located in nearby Wandsworth.
The pub building has been both an engineering works and vinegar brewery before finally falling into disrepair about 30 years ago. Foster signalled the opening of the three-storey, fully-restored site with the traditional raising of an ale garland.
Slug & Lettuce invests in the arts again Bar chain Slug & Lettuce has lent its support to the Bar Culture competition again after it enjoyed a successful inaugural year in 2003.
The competition, run in association with York St John College, Nottingham Trent School of Art and Design, and Bath School of Art and Design, aims to find the most popular piece of student fine art, rewarding regional winners with cash prizes and feedback on their work.
A judging panel will select pieces of art to exhibit regionally in the Slug & Lettuce bars nearest the students' places of study. After a month on display, during which the public will vote for their favourite, the winning pictures and their creators will go through to a national final to be held in London next month. It has the backing of tourism minister Kim Howells and Times art critic Richard Cork, and is sponsored by Beck's Bier.
Charity cake-bake Pastry chefs from London's St John Bread and Wine restaurant gave up some of their free time last month to help disability charity John Grooms launch a new fund, which will promote disabled people's independence and social inclusion.
The launch of the Thora Hird Memorial Fund at the charity's Borehamwood residential care home was described as a great success, thanks in no small part to the chefs' demonstrations on how to make Eccles cakes, the classic from Hird's birthplace of Lancashire.
Residents of the care home then got to make and eat their own cakes. Chefs Justin and Russell from St John's Bread and Wine with the late actress's daughter, Janette Scott.
