Gary Usher on the hunt for second pub site

Gary Usher has said he is looking to open a second pub next year.

The chef’s Elite Bistros group opened the White Horse in Churton, near Chester, as its first pub in 2023.

Writing on X last week, Usher said: “In 2025 we would love to be in a position to open another pub. Cheshire is nice. North Wales is nice. Please get in touch with me if you know of somewhere a White Horse would suit.

“Perhaps you know someone who wants to move on from their pub. Perhaps there’s an empty pub in your village. Please let me know.”

The chef returned to X the following morning to thank followers for their suggestions.

He wrote: “Your pub ideas continued through the night and I woke up to another dozen DM’s of suggested sites, thank you!”

Usher opened the original Sticky Walnut restaurant in Chester in 2011 and his Elite Bistros business has since grown to seven restaurants, a pub and an event and catering arm across the north-west of England.

The team crowdfunded just over £100,000 to upgrade the original Sticky Walnut site and allow it to move to a seven-day-a-week operation earlier this year.