Making the most of British Pie Week in pubs

Lesley Foottit looks at ideas for how the humble pie can make a big impact on your pub's food offer.

Pie sales will always go up during the winter months, although they have been part of a more general renaissance of hearty,

traditional pub fare over the past few years. British Pie Week runs from 7 to 13 March, giving licensees the opportunity to tempt more customers in for some good, old-fashioned pub comfort food. Licensees can attract customers' attention with a pie and drink offer, pie night, pie of the day, take-away pies or a pie and ale festival. Getting involved in the week is an ideal opportunity for pubs to drive extra trade and showcase their pie offer to attract customers all year round.

Pie clubs​

The Fleur de Lys in Lowsonford, Warwickshire, offers eight pies all at £10.45 and served with chips and seasonal vegetables.

It also offers a loyalty card scheme in the way of a pie club. Customers pay £5 for their card and are rewarded with 20% off any main course for two adult guests on every visit to the pub. Another name can be added to the card so that the cardholder's partner or friend can also enjoy the benefits.

Young's pub the Windmill in Mayfair, London, also runs a pie club. People can sign up through the pub's website to receive "the latest news from the pie world". Pub owner

Carl Smith is the Pie Master with MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace as Pie Club President.

Pie and a pint​

People love value for money and many customers will be tempted in by the offer of a free pint. The Squirrel in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, will be offering a pie and a pint (or small glass of house wine) for £9.50 throughout British Pie Week. Most of the pub's pies are £9.50, with the exception of one at £8.95, so punters really are in for a good deal.

The Squirrel's chefs have come up with unusual names to maximise the appeal of their pies, such as the Scrumpy Pie — bacon, Bramley apples and cider in a sage sauce. However, the most popular overall is the Cricketers Pie, with chicken, ham and leeks in a creamy white sauce, while the men tend to go for the steak, ale and mushroom pie, "for the ale", says manager Jo Macken. The Punch lease offers more pies in winter — up to seven — and pies are responsible for 40% of its sales.

Town & City Pub Company is adding chicken, ham and leek, and chicken and mushroom pies to its winter menu. "Our customers loved our pie range when we introduced it last year, so we've extended it further this season and, at only £4.95 with a drink, it remains great value," says marketing executive Simon Lucas.

Veggie and vegan pies​

A meat-free pie will appeal not just to vegetarians but also to customers looking for a lighter option and you can have some fun with veggie pie fillings such as butternut squash and feta; roasted vegetables with aubergines, fennel, peppers and carrots; and veggie shepherd's pie with sweet potato mash.

Jane Knight, of the Unicorn in Kingwood, Oxfordshire, offers a pie that is also suitable for vegans. The Brakspear pub offers a spinach and dairy-free 'ricotta' pie made with filo pastry at £9.

"We have a lot of vegans in the area and most of them order the vegan pie," says Knight, who makes all the pies herself. "A lot of regular eaters have it too. I think people particularly appreciate home-made food." The pies are served with chips and seasonal vegetables. Knight will be promoting British Pie Week with a pie and Brakspear Bitter offer for around £8.

She also makes dessert pies, such as plum, pear and apple for £5.20.

Pieminister is launching a range of 170g dessert pies in March. Flavours include poached pear, rum and chocolate; Cox and Bramley apples with raspberries (Adam's apple pie); and Cox and Bramley apples with toffee sauce (toffee apple pie).

Pie night​

Whitbread brand Brewers Fayre puts on a pie and pint night each Tuesday from 6.30pm. For £6.99 customers can enjoy one of four pies and a beverage chosen from selected soft drinks, a small glass of house wine or a pint of Carling or Tennent's lager, Tetley's, Belhaven Best or Bass bitter. The pie options are beef and ale; chicken balti; chicken, leek and ham; and vegetable. Brewers Fayre encourages customers to spend more with a "go large on chips" promotion for an extra 50p.

Supplier Pieminister founder and director Jon Simon recommends introducing a weekly pie night, when pies are the only food on offer. He says pies should be served with mash, gravy and minty mushy peas. "Pie Day Friday is a great way to mark the start of the weekend — have a special pie and pint deal at lunchtime or after office hours," he says.

Pies to go​

Langley Hall Inn makes pies to eat in or take away. The pub, in Beedon, Berkshire, offers a variety of pies such as roast chicken and mushroom; steak and kidney; minced beef and onion; and steak, ale and mushroom, all priced at £4.25. There is an extra £1.25 charge for adults and children over 10 if they wish to eat in.

Pies fit for a future king​

Supplier Pieminister is launching a pastry treat in honour of Prince William and Kate Middleton's marriage this April.

The 270g Kate and Wills pie is available from 7 March and includes British beef, wine, bacon, pearl onions, mushrooms and brandy.

New customers who place an order before 7 March will receive a free box of 24 commemorative pies and a pie quiz bundle worth £75, including a Pieminister winner's trophy. For more information visit www.pieminister.co.uk​.

Pies with a twist​

If you are looking to offer your customers a twist on a classic, Peter's Food Service has created two new pies.

The pie-maker has launched the pepperoni pizza premier slice and the all-day breakfast premier slice.

The pizza slice filling blends spicy pepperoni, juicy tomatoes, fiery chilli, fresh garlic, basil and cheese.

The all-day breakfast slice, which was inspired by Peter's own fleet of van drivers, is packed with bangers, bacon, egg, baked beans and brown sauce. The slices can be eaten cold or may be warmed up in the oven or microwave.

Bar menus​

Mini pies are a good addition to a pub's bar-snack menu.

Supplier Edward Moon Proper Pies offers a range of mini gourmet pies. Each pie is filled with premium ingredients, but the gravy is kept to a minimum so they can be hand held. Fillings include steak and Spitfire gravy; buttered chicken balti with chicken strips in a spicy balti sauce; or roasted vegetable with a red pesto pastry base. All the pies have a shortcrust pastry base with a puff-pastry lid.

"These pies are perfect for pub menus when someone wants a tasty bite to eat with a pint, but doesn't want a full meal, or for late-night munchies at the end of the evening.

"We are also seeing interest from some of the café and snack-bar operators as these pies are easy to display on the counter and ideal for snacking at any time of the day," says Martyn Thomas, managing director of Edward Moon Proper Pies.

The Edward Moon range also includes shepherd's pie, cottage pie and a beef, chilli and potato pie topped with tortilla crumbs instead of pastry.

The company is offering a pie taster case (three different-flavoured mini pies, plus one large pie) to the first 10 Morning Advertiser readers to send their details to orvapbageby@bwqverpg.pb.hx​ with "PubChef offer" in the subject box, by 14 February.

Pie of the day​

A full golden pie is always enticing for the customer, but the real beauty of pies for the licensee lies in their versatility — almost any filling tends to work well.

They are a great way to use seasonal ingredients, either in the pie or as a side, and to use up store cupboard ingredients.

Home-made pies offer a good GP of up to 70% or more depending on pricing, and can be an easy way to link in a food offer for a theme night. For example, put on a traditional steak