Colchester hungriest for mince pies
18 December 2006 | 11:11
RODDY ASHWORTH
WHO ate all the pies?
Well, according to a national survey, the people of Colchester are having a pretty good go at doing so.
Because, for the third year running, it has emerged that the Essex borough is the hungriest in the country when it comes to that staple of Christmas fare, the traditional mince pie.
An astonishing 201,000 pies have already been eaten by Essex pie fanciers in the last month – as the area out-consumes its nearest rival by almost 30,000 pies.
Second in the competition to become mince pie capital of the UK was Hedge End in Southampton, with shoppers having bought 172,134 pies.
Emerson’s Green in Bristol wasn’t far behind with 168,192 pies, while residents of Chippenham bought 162,588, the survey by supermarket Sainsbury’s showed.
John Priest, store manager at the Tollgate branch of Sainsbury’s, yesterday said everyone at the out-of-town superstore was delighted with the record, and also at the rate at which pies were flying off the shelves.
“I think that over the last few years we have picked up on the fact that people round here really do like their mince pies,” he said.
“So we make sure we have a plentiful supply and that there is an attractive display.
“About three years ago we decided to put them out about a month before Christmas, and they sold better than ever. We seem to sell more and more each year.”
Mr Priest added all three types of mince pie at the supermarket – those from the in-store bakery, the deep filled variety and the Taste The Difference brand – were selling well.
He said the 24-hour store was hoping to sell a further 75,000 in the run up to December 25.
“There must be something about the people of Colchester,” he said. “I’ve never quite worked it out.”
Hannah Quarmby, Sainsbury’s mince pie expert, said: “I really couldn’t believe it when I saw this year’s recent sales figures come in.
“Sales have out-stripped last year and if this trend continues we’ll have our suppliers working overtime to make sure all our customers, especially in Colchester, Essex, have enough of the festive treats.”
