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Middlesbrough’s Bar ‘Piejacked’ in Local Food Campaign

ByEmily

Sep 24, 2016

A CAMPAIGN to promote the use of locally produced food has resulted in a popular music bar being “piejacked”.

Middlesbrough Local Food Weekend taking place this weekend (September 9-11) invites restaurants, cafes and other food outlets in the town to highlight their use of locally produced food.

It’s the second event of its kind and the latest food outlet to sign up is Sticky Fingers Café Bar on Linthorpe Road.

The café bar has recruited Pie Jackers – a handmade gourmet pie producer from the town – as one of its main suppliers.

It’s just one example of how local businesses are working together as part of the Growing Middlesbrough campaign to provide consumers with easier access to a wide range of locally-produced food and drink and keep more money in this area.

Steve James, owner of Sticky Fingers Café Bar, said: “We’d been considering using local food from a local company for some time and Pie Jackers fits our needs perfectly.

“We wanted high quality, handmade, gourmet pies that contained locally produced ingredients and that’s exactly what Pie Jackers is all about, so I guess you could say we’ve been piejacked.”

Pie Jackers was launched in May by partners Neil Fletcher and Julie Martin and already the company has taken part in several popular food events including Orange Pip Market, Saltburn Food Festival, The CornShed Beer Festival and monthly Northern Dales Farmers’ Markets at Stewart Park, Wynyard and Stokesley.

Julie said: “We are delighted to be working with the team at Sticky Fingers and in addition to our best sellers we’re already working on a few new flavours that we think will go down a treat with customers at the bar.”

Growing Middlesbrough is making it easy for food outlets to find local suppliers, as more and more producers, caterers and retailers are coming forward to add their details to a local food map at www.growingmiddlesbrough.org.uk

Joe Dunne, from Growing Middlesbrough, said: “The aim is to encourage more restaurants, cafes and food outlets to start buying food that’s been grown or produced within 50 miles of Middlesbrough and making it available to their customers.

“We would urge as many customers as possible to show their support by dining out at participating outlets during Local Food Weekend and eating dishes that have been made using locally-produced ingredients – just look out for ‘local food’ on the menu or ask for local.”

Participating food outlets are being provided with branded material to help promote their involvement and highlight which dishes are made with locally- produced food and drink.

Those taking part include Bedford Street Coffee House, The Curing House, Goodbody’s, Mohujos Burrito Bar, The Oven, Woodlands Barbers and Coffee Shop, The Olde Young Tea House, The Garden cafe at Teesside University, TP Coffee House, Al-Forno and Sticky Fingers Café Bar.

To find participating food outlets and for further information on Growing Middlesbrough visit www.growingmiddlesbrough.org.uk.

Restaurants and cafes keen to get involved are asked to contact Middlesbrough Environment City on 01642 579820 or email joe.dunne@menvcity.org.uk.

By Emily