A PUB near Wrexham has been named among the top gastropubs in the country, despite only reopening earlier this year.

The White Horse in Churton was bought, refurbished and reopened by Elite Bistros at the end of March. The pub has now been named among the Top 100 Gastropubs list, compiled by Estrella Damm.

Elite Bistros own a string of popular restaurants across the North West including Sticky Walnut in Hoole, Wreck in Liverpool and Kala in Manchester.

The pub was somewhat of a departure for the group and its founder Gary Usher, who have become known for their crowdfunding approach which has yielded five of the six venues, after the creation of Sticky Walnut in 2011.

The White Horse made more than £140,000 of its £200,000 target in less than 24 hours.

In reaction to the news, Gary Usher posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Today we found out The White Horse made the UK top 100 gastropubs after only being open 8 months. It's definitely been a hell of a ride so far! Huge thank you to all our locals & also everyone that's made the journey out to visit us!

"Onwards & upwards X."

A letter posted alongside says: "We are pleased to announce that your pub has made it onto the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs 51-100 2024 list.

MOST READ

"We are continuing our extended list to showcase more amazing gastropubs like yours. This is a fantastic achievement and means you have been recognised by your peers for your hard work, so congratulations.

"Early next year we will be announcing this exciting list on our social media channels in the run-up to the Top 50 reveal. You will also receive a profile on our website where visitors can learn more about your amazing establishment."

The list is voted for by more than 350 experts within the hospitality industry. As well as the the core 1 to 50 list of the best pubs, a 51-100 list was introduced in 2019. There is also a selection of special awards that are judged by an expert panel.