Melton to host first Great British Festival of Pies

The public event, launched by Melton Promotions, will be held in the Market Place from 10am to 4pm.

There will be music and street entertainment throughout the day as well as an array of sweet and savoury pies on offer to buy and consume at home and hot pies and local crafted ales will be available so visitors can enjoy a pie and pint during the event.

The Festival of Pies will round off the fantastic British Pie Week and the prestigious British Pie Awards which will be held on Wednesday (March 9) in St Mary’s Church. The winners are due to be announced on Friday (March 11).

The British Pie Awards, organised by the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, is one of the town’s most prestigious annual events attracting local, regional and national media attention with hundreds of pie-makers

entering pies of all shapes and sizes into the prestigious competition.

Until now members of the public have had little opportunity to become involved in the Pie Awards other than view the spectacle of pies being judged.

But next Saturday’s Festival of Pies will enable visitors to try and buy some of Britain’s best and potentially award winning pies.

The winners of the 2015 British Pie Awards’ Supreme Champion Award - the Great North Pie Company - have already confirmed as being part of the festival.

Ruth Wakeling, of Bouverie Lodge, one of the pie producers taking part, said: “We’re delighted that, as a producer, we are now able to sell our pies in the town as part of the National British Pie Week, in conjunction with the British Pie Awards held in Melton.”

Lisa Brown, Melton town centre manager, added: “We’re hoping the Great British Festival of Pies will become the grand finale of both British Pie Week and the British Pie Awards, by giving the public the opportunity to buy some of the UK’s most acclaimed pies.

“We’ve had a great level of interest from pie producers who are excited about being involved in this pilot event and we will be hijacking the Market Place to celebrate everything that’s good about pies!”

For more information about the Great British Festival of Pies call Melton Promotions on (01664) 502335 or (01664) 822114 or visit www.melton.gov.uk/events

You can also follow @visitmelton on Twitter or visit www.facebook.com/visitmelton

To mark British Pie Week (March 7-13) Asfordby Hill-based Brockleby’s Pies has decided to donate a number of pies to a homeless shelter, but which one they choose will be down to the public.

Members of the public can nominate their local shelter by commenting on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Brocklebys-Pies-121724817882098/

The shelter with the most likes by next Friday (March 11) will win. The winner will be announced next Saturday.