Spotlight

What's on in Leicestershire and Rutland this OctoberHave a laugh with a whole raft of comedy, incredible theatre, food festivals and more all this month!
Frightful fun for HalloweenFrom the best pumpkin picking patches to ghost hunting, broomstick riding and wand making, find out where to go for spooktacular fun across Leicestershire and Rutland.
8 of the best homeware storesFrom binge watching George Clarke's Amazing Spaces and Grand Designs during lockdown, we're feeling inspired to 'do up' our decor! Check out some of our fave interiors and homeware stores across Leics and Rutland.
Where are the Best Places to Live 2022?Our obsession with upping sticks and moving shows no sign of abating. Lucky then that for our new intake of Best Places to Live we've partnered with Strutt & Parker estate agents!
4 simple, stylish ways to revamp your home'Tis the season to make your house beautiful - so kickstart your dream project with our tips on what's trending right now, PLUS £500 to spend at the brilliant Brewers Decorator Centres

Well, hello!

I'm Keya, editor of Muddy Leics & Rutland, here to bring you the quirky, cool and downright unmissable in the area.

Gotta Have It

It's the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness... and of sensational scented candles! Check Muddy's pick of the best candles for autumn 2021, chock-a-block with smoke and wild woods (and a bit of fun).

Gotta have it

The results are in! Meet your Muddy Awards 2021 winners

Thanks to everyone who took part this year, and helped celebrate the most awesome indie businesses across 25 counties.

View Our Winners

Eat

Michelin-starred Atul Kochhar’s curry recipe

To celebrate National Curry Week from 4-10 October we’ve got a recipe that will hit all the right spots, so move away from the pasta bake and try this tasty treat tonight.
- Local bakeries we love, in honour of GBBO
  
  Bake Off is back on TV so time to drag out the food mixer. Can’t be bothered? Fair enough! Put down that spatula and support these drool-worthy bakeries instead.
- Book these food and drinks events!
  
  From the first ever Leicester Restaurant Week to a travelling vegan market, we’ve rounded up the top food and drink festivals across Leicestershire and Rutland.

Culture

What’s on in Leicestershire and Rutland this October

Have a laugh with a whole raft of comedy, incredible theatre, food festivals and more all this month!
- Six things you’ll want to watch this week
  
  Roll up, roll up! It’s the cream of the TV crop. From THAT Netflix stalker show to star-studded fundraisers and spooky horror specials, we know exactly what to watch this week.
- City slickin’: what’s on in London this autumn
  
  London’s heading into the cooler months with a host of unmissable cultural highlights. Bag yourself the best tickets now with our guide to what’s worth seeing in the big smoke.
- Ready, set cook! 9 new cookbooks for Autumn
  
  Want to switch up your meal plan for the new season? Or just a sucker for tempting pictures of food? If any of the above apply, we have you covered
- Let’s talk TV: 8 best things to watch this week
  
  Billie Piper’s anti rom-com, how to watch the London Film Festival highlights from home, and more big name telly this week. Pop the kettle on and settle in to watch our curated list of TV goodies.

Little Black Book

Want to support local? Our curated pick of the most creative, unique and brilliant businesses near you.

Jute Coffee

Fourwards Restaurant

Kim Burrows Photography

Sugah Lab

Simsanté

ActionCOACH

The Bond Street Distillery

Winstanley House

The City Rooms

Alice Rose Bridal

The Old Tractor Shed, Dadlington

Elegance of Elena Bridal Boutique and Online Store

Travel

Italy, Mr Bond? 24 hours in Matera

Make mine a martini, shaken not stirred while we tell you our insider tips on how to best experience the coolest city you’ve probably never heard of.
- Top attractions in Rutland
  
  From the must-see hot spots in England’s smallest county to cool insider alternatives, here’s the most unmissable attractions in Rutland.
- 65 paw-fect dog-friendly stays
  
  Have pooch, will travel? You betcha! Here are 65 stays across the Muddy counties that are all Fido-friendly, from stunning stately homes to rural cottage staycations.

Home

8 of the best homeware stores

From binge watching George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and Grand Designs during lockdown, we’re feeling inspired to ‘do up’ our decor! Check out some of our fave interiors and homeware stores across Leics and Rutland.
- Where are the Best Places to Live 2022?
  
  Our obsession with upping sticks and moving shows no sign of abating. Lucky then that for our new intake of Best Places to Live we’ve partnered with Strutt & Parker estate agents!
- The top 10 trending autumn colours
  
  Planning on pimping your walls this autumn? Save yourself hours of scrolling through Pinterest and paint charts: Muddy reveals the top ten trending colours this season.
Wellbeing
- Newsflash: What’s new pussycat?
  
  There’s a new luxurious day spa opening in Leicestershire. Want all the gossip? Of course you do!
- POST-LOCKDOWN ANXIETY: HOW TO COPE
  
  Life after lockdown can be a scary thought. Here’s some tips that may help you deal with any niggling social anxiety issues.

Life

Back in the office? We’re here to help!

Feeling unprepared to head back to the office after a year WFH? Muddy to the rescue with eight essential Do’s and Don’ts (and yes, you will have to change out of sweatpants).
Kids
- Frightful fun for Halloween
  
  From the best pumpkin picking patches to ghost hunting, broomstick riding and wand making, find out where to go for spooktacular fun across Leicestershire and Rutland.
- Stamford Endowed Schools, Stamford (Lincs)
  
  Wellbeing and creative thinking are at the heart of this progressive, mixed co-ed and single-sex boarding school, where children are taught to stretch their horizons while nurturing community spirit.

Instamuddy

Fashion

A new leaf: your 10 autumn wardrobe essentials

Bright knits, checks, big handbags, even bigger boots. We’ve got your autumn/winter 2021 fashion fix sorted.
- SUPERFLASHY NEWSFLASH
  
  Heard it on the grapevine! From a cool redevelopment of a historic building to the best new local openings (I spy an eco -friendly hair salon), here’s my superflashy special.
- Rent your clothes like Carrie!
  
  Ethical, eco and everywhere – with Carrie Symonds showing us how to work a sustainable wardrobe, here’s where you can rewear, repair and renew your clothes in style.
Beauty
- Laser hair removal – is it worth it?
  
  Big date? Forget the legs, I have to shave my knuckles! Fed up, I recently booked to have laser hair removal done. Was it more pain than gain? worth it? Read on to find out.
- Can Haringtons tame the Muddy mane?
  
  Fly-away hair with lots of grey? Not just me then… The challenge for award-winning hairdresser and colourist Barry was to create a style that will still look good a week later

People

Meet designer Chloe Kempster

The Chalk Paint® queen and furniture designer behind Maisie’s House on TV’s Money for Nothing let us in on her top local spots in Leicestershire – how many do you know?
- Have baby, will socialise!
  
  Mum of two Sara Payne runs baby and toddler classes across Leicestershire. So when she’s not busy entertaining little ones, changing nappies or cleaning bottles, where does she like to take her own little ankle-biters?
- Muddy talks parenting with Lorraine Candy
  
  “All teenage girls think their mums are a bit rubbish”. Journalist and mother of four Lorraine Candy talks parenting, moody teens and motherhood with Muddy.