Tag Archive: public vote

GFC Awards 2026/7 People’s Choice: The Manor House, Quorn & White Horse, Lincoln

A first for the Great Food Club Awards

The People’s Choice Award is different from our other Great Food Club Awards. There is no judging visit and our panel does not choose the winner. This one is decided entirely by Great Food Club members and readers.

Almost 3,000 nominations were submitted across the Great Food Club Awards 2026/7. The People’s Choice title goes to the business receiving the highest number of valid public nominations overall.

This year produced something we have never seen before.

After duplicate entries were removed, The Manor House in Quorn and White Horse in Lincoln both finished on exactly 145 nominations.

There was nothing to separate them, so both have been named joint winners of the Great Food Club People’s Choice Award 2026/7.

The Manor House, Quorn

The Manor House has been part of Quorn life for more than two decades under owners Kara and Phil Triggs.

When they took it on in 2005, the three-acre site needed, in their words, to be “born again”. Since then, helped by a large team, they have transformed it into a thriving dining pub with accommodation while retaining an important role within the village community.

As a freehouse, The Manor House serves up to four changing cask ales and regularly features in the Good Beer Guide. There is also an extensive wine list for those who prefer something other than beer.

Head chef Johnny and his team run a seasonal kitchen with an emphasis on ethical and local sourcing. Suppliers include Owen Taylor for meat, Charnwood Brewery for beer and Manor Farm Dairy in Thrussington.

The menu moves comfortably between pub favourites such as fish and chips and burgers, pizzas, stews and vegetarian dishes, with Sunday roasts and a broad breakfast menu adding to the appeal.

The Manor House has clearly built a remarkably loyal following. Its 145 nominations make that support impossible to miss.

Congratulations to Kara, Phil and the entire Manor House team – joint winners of the Great Food Club People’s Choice Award 2026/7.

White Horse, Lincoln

White Horse has achieved an impressive amount in a relatively short time.

Founded by Dan Bellamy and Jason Lord-Castle, the Lincoln pub opened in 2023 and quickly established itself as one of the city’s most interesting places to eat and drink. In October 2025, it was included in The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Pubs list.

The White Horse is the sister pub to the Boot & Shoe in Flintham and follows a similarly focused approach to food. Its compact menu puts produce and local sourcing at the centre of the kitchen.

Small plates might include tempura green beans with ras el hanout yoghurt, Korean fried chicken with pickled cabbage or roasted cauliflower with butterbean hummus and za’atar.

Larger dishes range from Redhill Farm pork tomahawk to venison and imaginative vegetarian cooking, while burgers have also become a strength. The food is backed by a strong drinks offer and a contemporary but relaxed pub atmosphere.

For a business that opened only a few years ago to attract 145 public nominations is a significant achievement and shows how quickly White Horse has built a committed following.

Congratulations to Dan, Jason and the White Horse team – joint winners of the Great Food Club People’s Choice Award 2026/7.

Two winners, decided by you

The People’s Choice Award exists to reflect the strength of public support behind the businesses in our region.

This year, the numbers could not have produced a closer result. After duplicate nominations were removed, The Manor House and White Horse finished level on 145 votes apiece.

So, for the first time in Great Food Club Awards history, we have two joint People’s Choice winners. Congratulations to The Manor House in Quorn and White Horse in Lincoln.