Christmas charity

Alice in Wonderland 'chocolate masterpiece' created by Yorkshire licensee

09-Dec-2015 - Last updated on 10-Dec-2015 at 13:10 GMT

Licensee of Ye Old Sun Inn, Ashley McCarthy, with his chocolate creation

A Yorkshire licensee who makes a chocolate masterpiece every Christmas has based his most recent on the Lewis Carroll novel and Disney feature film, Alice in Wonderland.

Ashley McCarthy, chef owner of Ye Old Sun Inn at Colton, near Tadcaster, Yorkshire, created the edible model of Alice at the Mad Hatter’s tea party using 5kg of Belgian chocolate, 10kg of icing sugar and roughly 1kg of glucose. The masterpiece took over 40 hours to create.

The work is currently on show in the pub and customers are invited to make a charitable donation in appreciation to Martin House Hospice, which cares for terminally ill children.

Alison Wragg, community fundraiser for Martin House Hospice, said: “It’s hard to put into words the joy that Ashley’s chocolate delights bring to our children and young people. This year’s piece will be no exception.”

The pub was shortlisted for the Business Innovation of the Year award in this year’s Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs, with the winners set to be announced at a ceremony at Anglian Country Inns site, Hermitage Road, Hitchin, on January 16, 2016.

For more information visit the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs website