A number of diners at a pub in Lancashire were left 'totally disgusted' after being asked to pay £1.50 to add a Yorkshire pudding to their Sunday roast.
One customer said they would never return to the pub, as they found the extra charge for their Yorkshire pudding - not included with the roast - to be completely outrageous.
The guest, named Steve, left a one-star review of his experience, writing: "Went there for a Sunday roast. In all my life I have never been in a restaurant for a roast beef dinner and told it does not include a Yorkshire pudding.
"It costs an extra £1.50 and if you want gravy with that, it also costs an extra £1.50.
"Totally disgusted. We will never be going back there. First visit. Never again."
Image: The Kicking Donkey
The Kicking Donkey in Omskirk, Lancashire, ranks at #5 of 67 restaurants in the area and boasts a Travellers' Choice Award, with an overall rating of 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor.
189 diners have rated it as 'Excellent', however, it seems that not everyone agrees - with some diners left completely outraged at being asked to pay £1.50 to add either a Yorkshire pudding or extra gravy onto their roast dinners.
Steve was not the only to complain about the extra charges, with another diner named Larry also leaving a review to register his disappointment.
Larry wrote: "Roast dinner was bland, hardly any taste. You want a Yorkshire pudding or more gravy, fine, but you need to pay extra.
Image: The Kicking Donkey
"Dogs allowed in eating areas, not great idea - so not for me. Tried it, but no more."
Its owner, writing online as Matt F, has replied to both reviews - justifying the extra charges for both Yorkshire puddings and more gravy on the basis that they are both homemade from scratch.
In a reply to Steve, he wrote: "Hi Steve. Sorry to have upset you so much.
Image: The Kicking Donkey
"The reason we charge for Yorkies and extra gravy is that they're both home-made from scratch.
"In the past, people have asked for extra and then it comes back untouched
"I believe that the staff's work should be reflected in their pay, and so we do need to charge for things like this. They cost us money to make.
"It's a disappointment to hear that you won't dine with us again, but I felt at the very least you were owed an explanation."
A sample menu for the Sunday roast on the pub's website does not list that you have to pay extra for Yorkshire puddings or more gravy, with a standard roast priced at £12.95.
If a customer wants to add on more gravy and a Yorkshire pudding, that will push the price of their roast dinner up to £15.95.
Notably, on their December Christmas menu, the pub has now released a beef dish with a Yorkshire pudding included for just £13.95.
Feature image - The Kicking Donkey
News
Channel 4 needs people from Yorkshire who think they can survive the apocalypse for a new TV series
Have you always wondered how long you’d last in an apocalypse?
Well now's your chance, as Apocalypse is potentially coming back to Channel 4 for a second series, with producers having put out a nationwide casting call for contestants willing to take part.
The casting call simply reads: "Do you think you have what it takes to survive the end of the world?"
Described as a dystopian series designed to test the creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience of our nation, Apocalypse sees players are pushed out of their comfort zones and put to the ultimate test.
In the series, ordinary people are tasked with surviving for 28 days in an abandoned city - used previously only for the military to practice urban warfare - with no food, running water, electricity or heat.
Produced by The Garden - which is part of ITV Studios - for Channel 4, the show’s creators are now calling on people from Yorkshire with the 'courage and ingenuity' to compete, to get in touch and apply for the potential second series.
Does your mate always bang on after watching a post-apocalyptic film that they would’ve done things differently? Or is the news at the moment freaking you out and you want to give the end of the world a bit of a practice run? Either way, sign up, test that plan you’ve built in your head, and see if you’ve really got what it takes.
Applications are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed. Come on, let's prove what we're made of.
Applications close on Sunday 4 October 2026 at midnight, and you must be 18 or above, with a valid UK or ROI passport, to enter.
Leeds has been crowned the UK’s spiciest city, according to new research
Clementine Hall
With National Curry Week just around the corner, new research has revealed which UK cities like their food with a kick.
The outcome? Leeds has come out firmly on top.
The research, carried has been out by Britsuperstore, analysed TripAdvisor data to find the UK cities with the highest concentration of restaurants serving some of the world’s most flavour-packed cuisines, including Indian, Thai, Caribbean, Mexican, Korean and Ethiopian food.
And it seems us Leeds lot aren't afraid of a little bit of spice, with the city boasting 51.33 spicy-cuisine restaurants per 100,000 people. Now that's a lot of spice.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
That puts Leeds ahead of Bath and Oxford, which take second and third place respectively, as the cities with the highest concentration of restaurants serving cuisines known for their fiery flavours.
At the other end of the scale, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne has been named the UK’s mildest city, with just 7.14 spicy-cuisine restaurants per 100,000 people.
The top 10 spiciest cities in the UK are:
Leeds
Bath
Oxford
Edinburgh
Bristol
York
Cardiff
London
Swansea
Sheffield
And we can't say we're particularly surprised, as here in Leeds our diverse food scene is very impressive indeed. From iconic Indian street food at Bundobust to Kerala-inspired small plates at Kerala Canteen, there's a spicy dish for everyone to enjoy in and around the city.
So, whether you're someone who orders Extra Hot at Nandos or prefers to keep things firmly on the milder side, Leeds looks like the place to be when it comes to getting your spice fix.
Georgina Pellant -
13th December 2021 
