As Nottingham’s third pie shop opens in less than a year, Liam Hunt delves into the meaty world of what until recently appeared to be a dying delicacy.
Decades ago the local pie shop was a British staple. You may have even be visited by the local ‘pie man’, who delivered his hot treats straight to your door.
The pie faded out of our ever-expanding mountain of fast food and take away menus, seemingly only still common on the football terraces and at the local chippy. Then high street chains moved in and cornered what was left of the market alongside cheap coffee and sausage rolls.
Recently, however, London has seen a pie comeback. Suddenly they are cool again.
Shops dedicated to the pub grub are popping up all over the capital, but the revival failed to travel north, until now.
Live and Let Pie is the third dedicated pie shop to open its doors in Notts in less than a year, signalling an apparent resurrection.
Based in Arnold, the family-run business will be offering locals homemade and freshly-prepared British comfort food.
When asked why his stock is popular again, chef and owner of Nottingham’s newest pastry outlet David Scrivins says: “Why not pie?”
“Everybody loves pie, it’s old fashioned, traditional and British comfort food. In London there’s pie shops all over the place but this far up the country almost nobody is doing it.
“People are getting bored with fish and chips, Chinese, Indian, pizza, the same old take away, so we thought we’d offer something different.
“It’s proper home-cooked food with fresh meat and fresh vegetables all cooked here everyday to offer people that something different.”
Live and Let Pie joins Nottingham’s pie’d of place along with Pieminister, in the city centre and Beeston’s Little 1940’s Pie Shop.
David added: “There is a pie revival, it is starting to get quite popular again.
“Nothing’s out the packet, nothing’s frozen, nothing’s tinned, we even soak our mushy peas over night.”
Live and Let Pie – What’s on the menu?
- Steak and ale pie
- Mutton balti pie
- Sweet potato and feta pie (V)
- Minced beef and onion
- Chicken ham hock and mushroom
- Cock a leekie
All available with a side of mash, mushy peas and mint sauce.
David said his ‘light bulb’ moment stemmed from a seaside holiday, where he visited a small pie shop and despite being impressed with the pastry on offer thought his own was better.
“We sat there for days thinking of names, there are so many pie puns, but people love the name.
“When we ring up suppliers the first thing they say is ‘great name’.”
And with the home of the famous pork pie, Melton Mowbray, just down the road, the East Midlands is a true home for the culinary classic.
David’s daughter Paige will be helping her dad in between her university studies.
She said: “Pie is great, it’s wholesome food.
“There is a lot of old-fashioned stuff coming back around, like shabby chic and all that sort of thing, I think people like that, and pie’s back too, it’s comforting.”
Live and Let Pie opens on Saturday 3rd December, with pie prizes and free tasters on offer in the days leading up to return of the pie man.
