On track for treats at Tunnel End Pie Co

FANCY a traditional pork pie? Or maybe meat and potato? Or perhaps get a bit more adventurous with pork and rhubarb, steak and ale or even pork and stilton!

You will certainly be spoilt for choice at Tunnel End Pie Co, which recently set up its ovens in Diggle, based at Saddleworth Cookery School at Warth Mill.

Mark Bradley has more than 45 years’ experience as a baker, previously owning an
award-winning bakery in Tameside.

With wife Gillian, he took over The Old Library Garden Café in Uppermill in 2020 but soon their doors were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

Mark decided to turn his hand back to baking pies for delivery while the café was closed – and such was the demand that they decided to do it full time from last September.

Gillian explained: “During lockdown we had to close the café in line with restrictions. So to keep ourselves busy we decided to find a suitable location so Mark could start baking again.
“A chance meeting on the canal with a customer who used to visit our old bakery pointed us in the direction of Saddleworth Cookery School.

“We met with Pam and Phil who own the Cookery School with a view to hiring some space from them – and the rest, as they say, is history.

“We started baking pies again and offered a doorstep delivery service throughout lockdown.

“Once restrictions were lifted Mark wanted to continue baking so we sold the café and Tunnel End Pie Co was established.”

They offer a collection and delivery service to customers and a wholesale pie delivery service around Oldham, Saddleworth and Tameside, and their pies are on sale at Dobcross Post Office.And their pies are so popular that the couple, who are who are keen Oldham Athletic and cricket fans, are also now delivering to Bury and beyond.