Bites: Hard times call for some British beef

Quality British British beef is perfect for the cold snap and this month sees a glut of new openings serving just that. The team behind the much-loved Albion in north London's Islington has recently revamped The Old Bear, a centuries-old pub in leafy Cobham with Richard Turner, formerly of Albion, at the helm and offering such delights as roast-beef bone marrow and steak pies. It's right by Chelsea football club's training ground and skipper John Terry (pictured), a bit of British beefcake himself, has been spotted there so often it was rumoured he'd bought the place.

Elsewhere, Barny Stoppard, son of the playwright Tom, has recently opened Barny's Place in the City, offering the "Barny Burger" with meat sourced from Smithfields market, while just around the corner Marco Pierre White's new venture, the Steakhouse & Grill, offers naturally reared beef alongside classic puddings. Let's hope there's enough diners left in the City to enjoy it.