Butcher from Alford scoops awards for pies

Well Vale in West Street received two silver medals and one bronze medal at the ninth annual event held in Melton Mowbray.

Silver medals were awarded in the Steak and Kidney Pie Class and the Chicken and Other Meat Pie class for their chicken, bacon, mushroom and leek pie. The bronze medal was awarded for the hand raised pork pie in the Pork Pie Class.

Nearly 900 pies were entered in the awards from a record number of 154 professional bakers and butchers.

Undergoing a thorough judging process from over 150 top pie experts, the Well Vale pies were awarded their accolades based on a range of criteria, including appearance, texture and taste.

Kitty Hamilton, pie baker at Well Vale, has only been making pies professionally since the shop opened in December last year, so this was her first attempt at the awards.

She said; “We are delighted to receive an award for each pie that we entered.

“It is fantastic to gain medals at this highly prestigious event, showing that our pies are good enough to compete with the best pies in the country.”

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the British Pie Awards, said: “What a year for the Awards - we’ve seen a truly varied plethora of pies.

“The standard of entrants this year was higher than ever before and Well Vale can be very proud of their awards. Well done!”

Well Vale specialises in high quality, traditionally and locally reared meat, as well as offering a range of handmade pies, ready meals and cakes, alongside a range of deli products, including lots of Lincolnshire specialities.