AWARD-WINNING bakers are scooping more national accolades just six months after opening their new business.
Mark Bradley has more than 45 years’ experience as a baker, previously owning an award-winning bakery in Ashton.
Now, after launching Tunnel End Pie Co just last September with wife Gillian, based at Saddleworth Cookery School at Warth Mill in Diggle, they are already receiving more silverware.
Their Cheese and Onion Pie and Pork and Hot Scotch bonnet chutney pie were both given silver awards at the recent British Pie Awards.
The prestigious competition was particularly tough this year with a record 976 entries in 23 classes, judged by 151 experts in Melton Mowbray.
Mark said: “As a new start-up business, we are delighted to have our pies recognised with this national award.
“We use locally sourced organic pork from The Butchers’ Block in Oldham and cheese from Dewlay Cheesemakers in Garstang, Preston.”
Just days later Tunnel End Pie Co was highlighted by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis on his popular Small Business Sunday competition on Twitter.
They were picked out by the former Dragon’s Den dragon as one of six winners to be showcased online after sending him a Tweet about their business.
Tunnel End Pie Co offers a collection and delivery service to customers and a wholesale pie delivery service around Tameside, Oldham and Saddleworth.
You will be spoiled for choice with pies including pork, meat and potato, pork and rhubarb, steak and ale or even pork and stilton.
And their pies are so popular that the couple, who are who are keen Oldham Athletic and cricket fans, are also now delivering to Bury and beyond.
Mark said: “It is what I am used to and have done for years and we really enjoy it.
“We have built up a nice base of old and new customers and it’s going very well. We’re making about 150-200 pies a week already.
“Now we want need to let more people know where we are now as we’ve got no shop front so can be missed.”
Mark and Gillian had taken over The Old Library Garden Café in Uppermill, Saddleworth in 2020 but soon their doors were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
Mark decided to turn his hand back to baking pies for delivery while the café was closed – and such was the demand that they decided to do it full time.
Gillian explained: “During lockdown we had to close the café in line with restrictions. So to keep ourselves busy we decided to find a suitable location so Mark could start baking again.
“A chance meeting on the canal with a customer who used to visit our old bakery pointed us in the direction of Saddleworth Cookery School.
“We met with Pam and Phil who own the Cookery School with a view to hiring some space from them – and the rest, as they say, is history.
“We started baking pies again and offered a doorstep delivery service throughout lockdown.
“Once restrictions were lifted Mark wanted to continue baking so we sold the café and Tunnel End Pie Co was established.”
• Find out more about Tunnel End Pies and how to place an order online www.tunnelendpies.co.uk or email mark@tunnelendpies.co.uk