London's pie and mash shops ‘need heritage status or they’ll close’

London’s pie and mash shops should be given a special heritage status to ensure their survival, campaigners said today, as figures show their number has halved in 20 years.

Fans of the traditional working-class cafes — which specialise in pie, mash, and jellied or stewed eels — said they should be granted tax relief due to their cultural value to London.

It comes as London’s “oldest pie and mash shop”, M Manze in Islington’s Chapel Market, said it was closing down, but will be opening a shop in Braintree in Essex. The Pie and Mash Club, a group which promotes the dish, warned that the shops’ days in London “are numbered” if action is not taken.

Research from the group shows the number of the shops in London, many of which have been family businesses for generations, fell from 57 to 27 in the past 20 years. They said they are being driven to areas like Essex as they can no longer compete amid rising costs.

The closure of 106-year-old M Manze follows that of A Cooke’s in Shepherd’s Bush, founded in 1899. The café, which has been visited by David Beckham, closed two years ago. It was served a compulsory purchase order as part of a major development on Goldhawk Road and Shepherd’s Bush Market. Earlier this month, The Cockney Grub House in Ilford closed.

Nick Evans, 51, a graphic designer who has run the Pie and Mash Club for the past 23 years, said: “Pie and mash is not dead yet, but the days of London’s traditional shops are numbered in the face of commercial forces.

“Perhaps I am being simplistic in my incredulity at councils for not employing a wiser strategy when applying business rates.” He said a heritage status would let the shop get tax relief.

Business rate increases came into force in April, with average rises of 25 per cent. Tim Nicholls, who has owned M Manze for more than 20 years, backed the heritage plan. “It’s rents and rates that made this happen,” he said.

Asima Shaikh, Islington council’s executive member for economic development, said: “We are sorry to see Manze’s closing. We would be happy to discuss with Mr Nicholls if we can help to keep his shop in Islington.