Pierre White's new Governor cider

Marco Pierre White is to follow up the launch of his new Governor ale with a cider version, the Publican's Morning Advertiser can exclusively reveal.

Produced by Westons, the 4.8% ABV cider will be available in draught and bottles from the end of September or early October. It will feature the same lion pump- clip as the Governor ale, made by JW Lees.

Pierre White said the cider would perfectly complement Westons' existing range, which he sells in his outlets.

"In my pubs we have 4.8% ABV Westons Bounds, which we sometimes mix with one-quarter part of 7.3% ABV Westons Old Rosie to give the drink more body and a touch more sweetness. What I wanted was a 4.8% ABV drink with the same amount of body," he explained.

"It's not a cloudy or a clear cider — the best way to describe it is hazy. The bottled version will be lightly carbonated, which makes it go well with food. It's like having an apple Bellini."

Pierre White said he has built up a relationship with Westons over six years and felt it was the best commercial cider maker in Britain: "Very much like JW Lees, there's something nice about dealing with a family rather than an organisation."

The ale version of the Governor has been "well received" since becoming available in March, and has been recently taken on by Punch, he added.

The Governor is named after Pierre White's father's racing greyhound, while the pump-clip emblem is of San Marco, the lion of Verona, whom Pierre White was named after by his Italian mother.

"Basically, I'm bringing my mum and dad back together — in a pint! I'm not sure they would have approved, but to me it's a romantic story."