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Orford, a picturesque pocket of the Suffolk coast, has a storied and rather bizarre history. It is home to an impeccably preserved medieval castle built by Henry II to see off dissenting barons, and for much of the 20th century the rugged seafront was sealed off and used as a top-secret military testing site, prompting rumours about death rays and UFO sightings.
Now, the area may have another claim to fame, as home of the UK’s most expensive mince pie.
In the area’s main village, filled with picture-book houses and dainty walkways, lies a bold, bright pink building: the Pump Street bakery. Six mince pies at the cafe will set you back £25 – just over £4 each. Expectations for the Christmas treat are sky-high.
Getting to the isolated village is no easy feat, with the nearest train station a 25-minute drive away. Those hoping to skip the journey can opt for a home delivery, which will set you back another £8.
Are they worth the pounds and the mileage? When the Guardian arrived in the village at noon on Thursday, they were already sold out for the day. However, local people who have tried them offered plenty of praise.
“I think they are incredibly luxurious and fantastic with some custard or some cream,” said Claire Roberio, 64. She thinks the price tag is worth it. “They’re bespoke. It’s a homegrown business. I’m happy to pay the extra because I only have mince pies at Christmas. It’s a luxury that I’m happy to be able to afford.”
The pies are whipped up in a specialist bakehouse just outside the village. The mincemeat is made using apples from a local farm, and moulds are used to ensure the pies are deep-filled with a thin pastry. Pump Street has won a number of accolades, including recognition by the Observer Food Monthly awards. In the summer, when visitors flock to the village, queues for the bakery’s sweet treats and handcrafted loafs stretch down the street.
“The queues are legendary. People are happy to queue around the block to get their goods. I think without it the village would lose something really significant,” said Roberio.
There is no shortage of fans of the bakery in the village. However, even some of those who rave about its sweet treats balk at the costly pies. “I think they’re lovely and it’s a very pleasant experience, but £25 for 6? No. It would have to be a bloody good mince pie for that,” said Jocelyn Roberts, 67.
She has been visiting the village for 20 years and is a regular customer. She has not tried the bakery’s mince pies but is a fan of their doughnuts and pastéis de nata. “It’s always busy and it is lovely,” she said. “But having been a baker myself, the mince pies would have to be very bespoke. I’ll be making my own.”
Despite the small size of the village, there are other places where mince pies can be bought. At the Orford Meat Shed, a short walk from Pump Street bakery, a single pie will set you back £1.
“I’ve got a different type of customer: builders. They want a sandwich, a mince pie and a cup of tea and still want change from a fiver, which is what they get,” said Diane Page, 59, who jointly runs the small butcher and delicatessen with her husband, Andrew.
She described her mince pies as all-butter, luxury and deep-filled. “There’s no bells and whistles, they’re just a good product at a sensible price, in my view.”
The cost of her competitor’s pies is a touch too high for Page. “To me, it’s not a price that I would pay. But if people weren’t willing to pay that money, they wouldn’t be charging that. They’re obviously selling them and if they can do it then good luck to them.”
For others, Pump Street’s costly creations might be worth taking a punt on. “At first, you think it’s really expensive and not everyone can afford that,” said Maria Atkinson, 52, who runs a dog boarding business. “But their goods are delicious.”
