Back To Season 2018-2019The Medway Mashup: London Pie & Mash VS Cathedral Pie House
Back To Season 2018-2019
The Medway Mashup: London Pie & Mash VS Cathedral Pie House
2019-04-27ROUND 11
27.04.'19
PlayedEels
(4 pts)
Pie
(4 pts)
Mash
(3 pts)
Afters
(2 pts)
Liquor
(1 pts)
SumBTotalTotal
NICK EVERTON90430227254281
NICK EVANS110320220201221
RAY GOLDSTONE110320220181201
MIKE GOLDWATER100320220177197
TERRY MOORE100440230156186
TOM LEADER62420333118151
EDWARD MOSSE11011018139147
PETER HARVEY40116116
DOUGLAS BENFORD608484
KITTY LAM303939
LEN WILCOCK103434
MONTY MARTIN1027.5027.5
RUTH BATHAM201818
SUE MADIGAN201616
PAUL GALE101616
TREVOR GALE101616
VIKKI COLE-RICHARDSON101616
DAVID PEAD101515
PETER RILEY101515
RICHARD LUCAS101515
ALAN SMITH101212
MARK KNOWLER101212
IAN BURR101111
BRIAN CATCHPOLE1088
CHARLOTTE HARVEY1088
LINDA JONES1088
MAUREEN HARLE1088

The working Medway towns of Charles Dickens' era – Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester and Strood – have been agglomerated into a megalopolis spread over both banks of Kent's foremost waterway. The area has recently gained two new pie and mash outlets within one mile of each other on respective high streets, so it was to Chatham that the away-dayers of the Pie and Mash Club journeyed on the last Saturday of April, for the first leg of a double-header.

An appetising slog around Chatham harbour in gale-force winds preceded our arrival at London Pie and Mash just after 1pm.

The working Medway towns of Charles Dickens' era – Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester and Strood – have been agglomerated into a megalopolis spread over both banks of Kent's foremost waterway. The area has recently gained two new pie and mash outlets within one mile of each other on respective high streets, so it was to Chatham that the away-dayers of the Pie and Mash Club journeyed on the last Saturday of April, for the first leg of a double-header.

An appetising slog around Chatham harbour in gale-force winds preceded our arrival at London Pie and Mash just after 1pm.

Therein was a modest dining room with little in the way of traditional fittings, but the essential foodstuffs were present – apart from eels which they don't do.

Therein was a modest dining room with little in the way of traditional fittings, but the essential foodstuffs were present – apart from eels which they don't do.

The assembled chompers mustered themselves around a table reserved for 'Nick', grasped their equipment and proceeded to dig in.

The assembled chompers mustered themselves around a table reserved for 'Nick', grasped their equipment and proceeded to dig in.

As you can see in these illustrations, the classic scrape method is used for the deployment of mash.

As you can see in these illustrations, the classic scrape method is used for the deployment of mash.

[Right] The tasty prospect of a London Pie lid. Note the street furniture condiment dispensers.

[Below] The in-store team were [l to r] Oliver, Sky, Tom and Ellie. The supplemental menu item is sausage, mash and gravy, and there's also a vegan pie option.

[Right] The tasty prospect of a London Pie lid. Note the street furniture condiment dispensers.

[Below] The in-store team were [l to r] Oliver, Sky, Tom and Ellie. The supplemental menu item is sausage, mash and gravy, and there's also a vegan pie option.

Lest there be any doubt, this is a franchise branch of the famous Arment's of Walworth. Oliver, the proprietor, showed me behind the scenes of this modest operation, begun in December 2018, which takes a daily consignment of fresh pies from the big kitchen in Westmoreland Road. At present the capacity for this arrangement is 250 per day, and Arment's do not supply eels or cherry pies. The vegan pie comes courtesy of local company 'Flake and Bake'.

Lest there be any doubt, this is a franchise branch of the famous Arment's of Walworth. Oliver, the proprietor, showed me behind the scenes of this modest operation, begun in December 2018, which takes a daily consignment of fresh pies from the big kitchen in Westmoreland Road. At present the capacity for this arrangement is 250 per day, and Arment's do not supply eels or cherry pies. The vegan pie comes courtesy of local company 'Flake and Bake'.

[Right] Oliver with partner Vicki.
Born and brought up in South East London, Oliver took on the premises as a base for his estate agency within the burgeoning Chatham property scene. But upon crossing the threshold of number 91 with his accountant, his first utterance was, 'this would make a good pie and mash shop'. The enterprising accountant works for Arments – and the rest, as they say, is history. It's a good argument against self-assessment.

[Below] At another table, three generations of a Chatham family were enjoying Saturday lunch.

[Far right] The tone of the shop phone is 'bling bling'.

[Right] Oliver with partner Vicki.
Born and brought up in South East London, Oliver took on the premises as a base for his estate agency within the burgeoning Chatham property scene. But upon crossing the threshold of number 91 with his accountant, his first utterance was, 'this would make a good pie and mash shop'. The enterprising accountant works for Arments – and the rest, as they say, is history. It's a good argument against self-assessment.

[Below] At another table, three generations of a Chatham family were enjoying Saturday lunch.

[Far right] The tone of the shop phone is 'bling bling'.

Ever open to opportunity, Oliver is a mover and shaker on the local board of commerce; they are currently applying for the Medway towns to gain 'City of Culture' status.

I left the shop feeling satisfied. The London Pie and Mash Shop does full justice to the unique flavours of SE17; I think Roy and Cheryl Arment will be pleased that their product can go the distance.

Ever open to opportunity, Oliver is a mover and shaker on the local board of commerce; they are currently applying for the Medway towns to gain 'City of Culture' status.

I left the shop feeling satisfied. The London Pie and Mash Shop does full justice to the unique flavours of SE17; I think Roy and Cheryl Arment will be pleased that their product can go the distance.

There is no great distance between the high streets of Chatham and Rochester, but there seems to be more affluence in the air once you cross the A2, entering a pedestrianised thoroughfare bordered by well-preserved heritage shopfronts.

There is no great distance between the high streets of Chatham and Rochester, but there seems to be more affluence in the air once you cross the A2, entering a pedestrianised thoroughfare bordered by well-preserved heritage shopfronts.

Halfway along, and looking entirely in keeping, stands the green and cream edifice of Cathedral Pie House, another recent addition to our Pie and Mash roster in December 2017.

Below is its youthful boss, George, and the neatly chalked menu board, once again offering that safe adjunct of bangers and mash.

Halfway along, and looking entirely in keeping, stands the green and cream edifice of Cathedral Pie House, another recent addition to our Pie and Mash roster in December 2017.

Below is its youthful boss, George, and the neatly chalked menu board, once again offering that safe adjunct of bangers and mash.

Eels also featured on the board. The only other place they featured was on the plate of Tom Leader, who devoured the last available portion. With his staff in hand, Tom cut a Moses-like figure as he ate his way to the day's high score of 33.

Eels also featured on the board. The only other place they featured was on the plate of Tom Leader, who devoured the last available portion. With his staff in hand, Tom cut a Moses-like figure as he ate his way to the day's high score of 33.

Could Tom part the Medway and lead the pie and mash tribes back to their spiritual homeland? No, because he drove down and there wasn't enough room in his car.

Ed Mosse was left fuming, his hopes dashed, for eels had been key to his second half strategy.

[Below] Vinney was dashed by the Club's top sportsmen.

Could Tom part the Medway and lead the pie and mash tribes back to their spiritual homeland? No, because he drove down and there wasn't enough room in his car.

Ed Mosse was left fuming, his hopes dashed, for eels had been key to his second half strategy.

[Below] Vinney was dashed by the Club's top sportsmen.

[Right] A gilded Cathedral Pie. The atmosphere in the shop was hushed, bordering on reverential – such as you might experience in an actual cathedral.

[Right] A gilded Cathedral Pie. The atmosphere in the shop was hushed, bordering on reverential – such as you might experience in an actual cathedral.

At this stage Terry Moore was still enjoying his meal, but he had a wall of mash to conquer on his way to a personal best of 4-4-2 on the day. His secret, according to Goldwater – 'stomachs of steel'.

Inside a firm, almost chewy crust, I discovered a tasty filling. But in comparison with our first half, the whole thing was considerably bulkier.

At this stage Terry Moore was still enjoying his meal, but he had a wall of mash to conquer on his way to a personal best of 4-4-2 on the day. His secret, according to Goldwater – 'stomachs of steel'.

Inside a firm, almost chewy crust, I discovered a tasty filling. But in comparison with our first half, the whole thing was considerably bulkier.

Mike washed the last of the mash down with a mug of tea, but the stodge overload soon took its toll.

[Below] Some other people in the shop [l to r]: George and his sister Emma, local Pie enthusiast Rob and a friend.

Mike washed the last of the mash down with a mug of tea, but the stodge overload soon took its toll.

[Below] Some other people in the shop [l to r]: George and his sister Emma, local Pie enthusiast Rob and a friend.

If like us you're fans of this food form, the Chatham/Rochester experience offers contrasting styles within the medium; Oliver's 'London' brings the unique taste of Arment's to Kent, while Cathedral has – arguably – the more traditional flavour set.

If like us you're fans of this food form, the Chatham/Rochester experience offers contrasting styles within the medium; Oliver's 'London' brings the unique taste of Arment's to Kent, while Cathedral has – arguably – the more traditional flavour set.

Besides a cathedral and castle in close proximity, there is much to divert the flaneur in and around Rochester High Street, including a cavernous junk emporium. 'Trump, the Game' [an example of art imitating real life imitating art?] and a wall of video tape were the highlights.

Besides a cathedral and castle in close proximity, there is much to divert the flaneur in and around Rochester High Street, including a cavernous junk emporium. 'Trump, the Game' [an example of art imitating real life imitating art?] and a wall of video tape were the highlights.

For the cost-conscious tippler and toper, Wetherspoon's Golden Lion is your likely refreshment point, but beer and boozers abound on this pungent historic thoroughfare. After which the five remaining rovers went a bridge too far – by crossing the Medway into Strood via 'Top Munch'. Lucky for everyone it was closed.

Your man in Kent,
St@

For the cost-conscious tippler and toper, Wetherspoon's Golden Lion is your likely refreshment point, but beer and boozers abound on this pungent historic thoroughfare. After which the five remaining rovers went a bridge too far – by crossing the Medway into Strood via 'Top Munch'. Lucky for everyone it was closed.

Your man in Kent,
St@