Barnard Castle chippy takes the crown for best pie in Britain

A fish and chip shop in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is home to the best pie in Britain according to judges at this year’s British Pie Awards. 

The Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato Pie from Middleton-in-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop won best in class in the Lamb category before being named the Supreme Champion, beating almost 900 pies including some made for major retailers and producers such as Tesco, Morrisons, Ginsters and Pieminister.

Judges described the chip shop favourite as a ‘come and eat me’ pie which they said had an even bake, a good flavour pastry and was well filled with tender pieces of lamb and a subtle minted sauce. 

The shortcrust pie is the creation of Lydia Sumter who has been making pies by hand since she took over Middleton-in-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop with her husband 12 years ago. Lydia makes anywhere between 60 and 100 a week using lamb reared on the family farm just a few miles away in Wensleydale. Feeding one hungry person or two with a smaller appetite, the pie is on the menu at £5. 

Lydia comments: “With the price of lamb not being great, we thought rather than use a generic pie we would make our own and be a bit unique. Quite a lot of our customers will come in for fish and chips and take a pie home for tea.

“It was a massive shock, I wasn’t expecting to win the class never mind Supreme Champion. There were quite a few entrants that supply the likes of Tesco and Morrisons who have dedicated kitchens producing recipes so to be recognised as a little producer from the hills is amazing.”

Nottinghamshire-based fish and chip chain The Cod’s Scallops also triumphed taking Gold, Silver and Bronze in the Fish & Chips category for its Cheese, Potato and Onion pie, its Smoked Haddock, Leak, Mustard and Mature Cheddar Pie, and its Chicken, Leek and Ham pie, respectively. Its Smoked Haddock pie was a double-winner, scooping a Bronze in the Fish Pie category as well.