In honour of British Pie Week, Marks and Spencer has created a steak and chips pie – and it looks absolutely amazing.
Admittedly, steak and chips are a winner any day – but this new pastry-encased version, released by the luxury food hall as part of its new gastropub range, has got customers beyond exciting.
Think all-butter pastry and succulent gravy-soaked braised beef, slow-cooked for two hours, then topped with tomato chutney and then loaded with proper chunky cheesy chips (in lieu of a lid).
Indulgent is not even the word.
Image: Marks and Spencers
First spotted by fans over on M&S’s Instagram account, the post was only shared with followers on Tuesday but has already gathered nearly 10,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
Sharing the news online, M&S wrote: “It’s Pie Week! And, we have a VIP update (very important pie!!)
“Launching tomorrow, THE pie for you to try – and only to be found at M&S! Our NEW Gastropub Steak AND Chips Pie is hitting the shelves!
“Made with 2hr slow cooked braised cuts of British beef, with a layer of tomato chutney, encased in an all-butter pastry base and topped with cheesy chips!
“Yup, that’s right, TOPPED WITH CHIPS!!! Tag a friend who’d appreciate this new VIP!”
One person said: “I LOVE PIE! And this pie looks amazing!”
Another said: “I need this is my tummy!!”
A third added, “Womens day and pie week. What a time to be alive!”
Priced at just £5, the pie is on sale in Marks and Spencers stores across Greater Manchester now.
Filled with rich ale gravy, it only serves one – so if you’re feeding a family you’ll need to stock up so that no one misses out.
Other new additions to the gastropub range include a chestnut and shitake mushroom open pie with miso butter and garlic crumb, mac and cheese balls, and cheese rarebit and ham crumpets.
Feature image – M&S Facebook
News
Bob Vylan dropped from Manchester music festival following Glastonbury controversy
Danny Jones
English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from an upcoming music festival in Manchester following the recent controversy surrounding their set at Glastonbury 2025.
The media storm surrounding their much-talked-about and heavily televised Glasto appearance has seen them reportedly dropped by their agency and their US Visas cancelled, along with multiple concerts – one of those being right here in Greater Manchester.
Bob Vylan were scheduled to play RADAR Fest at Victoria Warehouse in Stretford this weekend, but now the organisers have informed gig-goers that the artists will not be performing in their planned slot on Saturday.
The alternative music event did provide any additional details, posting nothing but this image:
For anyone unaware, Vylan were heavily criticised for the pro-Palestine chants, which Glastonbury itself has deemed as having “crossed a line”, labelling the chants against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) as antisemitic.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also commented on the situation.
In addition to RADAR, Vylan were also due to appear at Kave Fest in France the following Sunday, 6 July, but the music event has also decided not to host them.
The BBC also opted not to broadcast Northern Irish band Kneecap as part of their coverage this year, as the Belfast rap trio have also been outspoken on the issue, among many other musicians of late.
Responding to the decision on social media not long after the news broke, the act simply shared the post on their Instagram story along with the caption: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester, we will be back.”
Trafford Centre launches school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families
Emily Sergeant
A school uniform drive has been launched at the Trafford Centre to support local families ahead of the new school year.
With schools across Greater Manchester soon set to be out for the summer holidays, many parents, guardians, and carers in the region may be looking ahead to the new school year in September, concerned about how they may be able to provide their children with the necessary uniform items needed.
According to a 2020 survey by The Children’s Society, 23% of parents reported that the cost of school uniforms led to their children wearing ‘ill-fitting, unclean, or incorrect’ items.
It’s these statistic that highlight the ongoing pressure faced by families.
This is why the Trafford Centre has partnered with both Manchester South Central Foodbank and local charity, Bridging the Gap, to launch a school uniform donation drive aimed at supporting more than 700 children across Manchester this summer.
The Trafford Centre launches a school uniform drive to help disadvantaged Manchester families / Credit: Trafford Centre
From now up until the 15 August, anyone heading to the region’s largest shopping centre is encouraged to donate new or pre-loved school uniforms.
“The cost of living crisis has deeply impacted our community, with more and more families unable to afford the essentials,” commented Emily Jeremy, who is the Assistant Project Manager at Manchester South Central Foodbank.
“As an anti-poverty charity, we recognised the need for school uniform support years ago. Though costs vary between schools, a full set of branded secondary school uniform can total around £150, which is a significant burden for many households.”
All items can be donated at the shopping centre’s Guest Services point / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography | Trafford Centre (Supplied)
Simon Layton, Centre Director at the Trafford Centre, added: “We’re proud to be working alongside Bridging the Gap and Manchester South Central Foodbank to support local families during these challenging times.
“School uniforms shouldn’t be a barrier to education, and we hope this initiative will ease some of the pressure many parents face as the new school year approaches.”
The school uniform donation drive is running up until 15 August.
All items can be taken to the Trafford Centre’s Guest Services Lounge, which is located on Lower Regent Crescent next to M&S, and they must be clean and free from stains or damage.
Georgina Pellant -
9th March 2022 
