​The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced the nominations for the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards and British Academy Television Craft Awards 2021 yesterday.

Cotswolds based comedy This Country has been nominated in four major categories.

Writers and stars of the show Daisy and Charlie Cooper have been nominated in both the Female Performance In A Comedy Programme and Male Performance In A Comedy Programme categories respectively.

They are both nominated in the Writer: Comedy category with the show itself up for the Scripted Comedy award.

The Virgin Media BAFTAs take place on Sunday 6 June and the Television Craft Awards on Monday 24 May.

You can see all the BAFTA nominations here - www.bafta.org/television/awards/tv-2021

Following the fantastically popular 2020 Summer Season, The Luna Drive In Cinema is returning to the stunning Blenheim Palace grounds from the 6th - 24th May.

After spending months inside you’ll be able to enjoy a classic movie on the big screen in a social distanced and safe Drive-In setting in the comfort of your own car.

With state-of-the-art in car speakers and high-definition outdoor screens, you won’t miss a moment of the action – whether that’s Baby and Johnny having the time of their life in Dirty Dancing or going Back to the Future in a DeLorean at 88 miles an hour. You can even treat yourself to delicious hot food on site or pre-order a Luna Hamper jam-packed with tasty retro treats.

Visit www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/luna-cinema for all the information and click HERE to see the list of films.

The Big Feastival have announced their day breakdown with the confirmed acts, chefs and entertainment so far.

Friday will see Sigala and Sophie Ellis-Bextor headline the main musical stage, with Giz n Green (Chef Gizzi Erskine and musician Professor Green's foodie venture), Theo Randall and Jack Stein all in kitchen.

​Saturday's music headliners include Nile Rodgers & Chic, Zara Larsson and Tom Grennan. Nathan Outlaw and Mark Hix will feature on the feasting side of the festival.

​Rag 'n' Bone Man will close the festival on the Sunday, with Tom Walker and All Saints also appearing on the main stage. 

The Big Feastival will take place from 27 - 29 August 2021 on Alex James' Farm in near Kingham.

Visit thebigfeastival.com for tickets

After months of domestic imprisonment, the twelfth of April had become a highly significant day as pubs and restaurants were allowed reopen, albeit outside, and everything in the world was hunky-dory once again.

It snowed. Is this some kind of sick joke Mother Nature? She's obviously a bitter and twisted teetotaller.

We didn't venture out until Friday. We also chose to go at lunchtime as I thought a balmy 9 degrees was more appealing than 4 degrees later on that evening. My choice was also based on the size of heaters so The Hollow Bottom it was.

Before The Lucky Onion Group acquired the pub, the previous owners had replaced a tiny unfunctional car park at the rear with some tiered decking, a "beach bar", a boules court and BBQ pit. Although I have to this day never seen either of the latter two used, it was an impressive space. 

Two thirds of the space is covered with the rest open for people to soak up the spring sunshine in their coats and hats. We were undercover. 

I had gone prepared with four layers and a scarf. However, after five minutes I had removed the scarf and two of the layers  as the monster gas burner was making us feel like we were in Greece rather than Guiting Power. 

The Hollow Bottom has a new menu which was long overdue. They tried putting their stamp on various pub classics when they first opened. Some really worked. The Ham, Egg and Chips is an impressive whole honey-glazed ham hock and has survived the cull. Others, like the chicken in a basket, really didn't work and have had the chop.

The menu consists of some light bites, including things like 1/2 Pint Prawns with Aioli and Chilli Whitebait. There are ten starters, twelve main courses, if you include the four "pub classics" and a selection of sides.

We ordered the Twice Baked Haddock Souffle, New Seasons Asparagus, Chives & Caviar Sauce and the Confit Wood Pigeon & Chicken Liver Pate to start, followed by the Cotswold Venison & Claret Pie (with a courtesy side of fries for the gravy) and the Spiced Rubbed Pork Belly, Spring Carrots, Pearl Barley Risotto & Apple Chilli for mains.

It was incredibly impressive. 

This was seriously good grown-up cooking which the pub deserves. It was the kind of food you would expect to see at its sister pub, The Wheatsheaf in Northleach which has always been superb. 

We may have to sometimes battle the elements and the part of your brain that questions why you would consider eating outside in freezing temperatures, but my god, it's good to be back out

www.hollowbottom.com

The Big Feastival has announced more music, food and family entertainment for their 10th anniversary festival.

Joining the line-up will be Tom Grennan, Maisie Peters, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, chefs Giz N Greens (Professor Green and Gizzi Erskine), Matt Tebutt and many more. 

The festival takes place at Alex James' Farm in Kingham from 27-29th August 2021.

Tickets: thebigfeastival.com

Think of all of your favourite products from around the Cotswolds, and then think them all in the same place. 

Well, that's happening in Stow on the Wold this month as Off the Square, a Craft Beer and Local Produce shop, opens on Digbeth Street in the town on April 25th. 

Their promise is that everything available in the shop will be produced in the Cotswolds, with an aim to support local small businesses and suppliers.

There will be an array of craft beers, including Deya, Cotswold Brew Company, Hook Norton, Cotswold Lion and Battledown. Cider from Dunkertons, Pearsons and the Cotswold Cider Company will also be available.

Local wines include Three Choirs, Woodchester Valley and Little Oak.

On the food front, they will be working in partnership with The Cotswold Guy, offering his restaurant quality Beef Wellington and Burger Kits for pre-order. You will find lots of lots of produce from the likes of Tubby Toms, Upton Smokery and Cacklebean Eggs.

Opening hours will be 10am-6pm Monday-Wednesday, 10am-8pm Thursday-Saturday and 11am-5pm on Sunday.

As well as being a retail space there will also be 3 tables where customers can choose to sit in and sample a selection of the beers from draught or enjoy some home-cooked snacks prepared by a local chef.

To keep up to date with all the news from Off The Square, visit offthesquarestow.co.uk