For the seventh consecutive year, The Woodmans Arms in Whickham has competed in Melton Mowbray against industry giants and returned home with multiple coveted awards.
This years’ scoop included a Class Winner of the Pub Pie category which was awarded to The Woodmans’ Boozy Beef Bourguignon Pie, which marries prime beef, back bacon, button mushrooms and pearl onions with a rich, boozy gravy of red wine, ale & Worcester sauce. This newly developed recipe for 2025 proved a firm favourite among judges, picking up a further three silver awards across other categories.
Another newcomer to the pub’s pie roster, the Chicken, Spinach & Chickpea Tikka Pie, came away with two bronze awards in the Chicken Pie and Pub Pie categories.
Their Spicy Pulled Beef Chilli Pie came away with a bronze award in the Pub Pie category and The Woodmans’ best-selling menu item, the Steak, Guinness & Leek Pie held onto its bronze accolade in the Beef & Vegetable Pie category for the second year running.
David Whitehead, Director of DWC Enterprises which also runs The Jolly Fisherman in Craster and Yorebridge House boutique hotel in Bainbridge said “I’m over the moon our team has been awarded the best Pub Pie in Britain. This amazing accolade is testament to the hard work and effort they put in each and every day.”
Hosted in Britain’s pork-pie capital Melton Mowbray, the pie-oneering awards, now in its 17th year, celebrate the nation’s most delicious pies – from the traditionally British to the tantalisingly innovative and totally whacky. The contest comprises 26 different classes or types of pie including traditional favourites as well as Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten Free Pies.
This year’s awards have also seen the introduction of new categories, including Steak and Wine, Steak and Ale, to make the judging more streamlined. Other stand out Class Winning pies were a Keralan cauliflower chickpea and onion bhaji pasty and a Christmas Dinner Pie.
The British Pie Awards recruited the most qualified pie connoisseurs to judge every single entry. A record 169 judges are on the panel, with extensive industry experience between them. This year, the judging panel included representatives from Selfridges, M&S and illustrious department store Fortnum and Mason, alongside esteemed food writers and a Great British Bake Off winner, as well as a plethora of chefs and pie experts.
Matthew O’Callaghan, Chairman of the Melton Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said “The pie is Britian’s most important contribution to world food heritage. The British eat over £1billion of pies every year; hot-cold, sweet-savoury and now gluten free, vegan, fusion etc. These awards celebrate the skills and ingenuity of all those involved in pie-making, from traditional recipes to more exotic creations, it’s been wonderful to be immersed in the collected passion for pies – traditional British fare, often showcased with a modern twist.”
The Woodmans home-made Steak, Guinness & Leek pie features on their main menu served with chips or mash, mushy peas and gravy for £17.50. The other award-winning pastry-encased creations will be available on the seasonal specials board.
