The Ilkley butchers scored 70 out of a possible 70 marks.
Ilkley butcher Lishman's of Ilkley has scooped a national award for having some of the best bacon in the UK.
The butchers and charcutiers are well known across the city for supplying much of the city's meat - and having been open since 1986 and scooping plenty of awards in their time, Lishman's clearly know a thing or two about creating flavour.
The nationally renowned company is now adding its latest award to its collection, having been recognised with a diamond award for Artisan Home-Cured Bacon, for its Smoked Back Bacon, in what is widely recognised as the meat trade’s most high profile and challenging product evaluation
David Lishman of Lishman’s Butcher & Charcutiers said: “We’re delighted our Smoked Back Bacon has been recognised as the best in the country amongst some of the UK’s finest butchers. We use traditional methods to prepare our bacon and only use pigs born and raised in Yorkshire.”
The awards were organised by Q Guild of Butchers, a 30-year strong scheme that recognises the 'UK's finest craft butchery products including Traditional Pork Sausage, Best Burgers, Gluten-Free Product, Best Bacon, BBQ Product and Black Pudding.
Each award is decided by a panel of industry judges and categorised as bronze, silver and gold, before diamond award nominees are shortlisted from the existing gold winners.
Gordon Wallace, Q Guild Manager said: “The standard of entries this year was as high as ever so being crowned best in class for their bacon, alongside two additional Gold awards is a fantastic achievement for Lishman’s. We were delighted to present David and Emma with their award which not only endorses the quality of their products but helps to raise standards and drive innovation across the craft butchery industry.”
You can find out more about Lishman's of Ilkley here.
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Eats
Salon Madre – a new tequila bar and pool hall is opening in Leeds this month
Manchester's favourite Mexican bar is about to become your newest nightlife destination in Leeds.
It's been a long time coming, but Salon Madre is officially ready to open in Leeds.
Although we may have to wait a little bit longer for Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, Salon Madre, its lively tequila bar and pool hall sibling, is officially opening on Friday 20 February.
Salon Madre, which will be located just around the corner from Madre at 114 Wellington Street, is where the party really gets started.
Image: The Manc Group
Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens.
There will also be plenty of tacos being flung out the kitchen to keep you going until the early hours.
If you’ve ever visited one of their venues in Manchester or Liverpool, you’ll know it’s an absolute riot and we can’t wait to welcome them to the city.
Images: The Manc Group
Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by countless trips to Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of both Madre and Salon Madre.”
Madre Leeds will open soon and you can even grab yourself a free margarita by signing up to their newsletter here.
We’ll keep you up to date with their opening times but for now, we'll see you at Salon Madre for a boogie, margarita and game of pool next week.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
Clementine Hall
Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.
Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.
Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.
To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.
But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.
Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".
She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.
"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.
"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."
She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”
Sophie Smith -
3rd May 2023 
