Plaistow pie-tricians have in their East End vicinity a shop currently trading under the name Palmer's at 538A Barking Road. A pie shop has been extant on this site for some 10 years; the Club last visited in November 2013 when it was known as 'Traditional'. In the interval it became 'Ginny's' before another change of hands in 2018.

Palmer's is about 15 minutes' walk from Plaistow tube station; en route Edward and I passed the imposing edifice of the YMCA. Of choreographic young cops, cowboys and construction workers there was no evidence.

Except for its singular black-and-flame signage, the shop was reassuringly unchanged, still bearing its sporting allegiance to West Ham United, now of Stratford. 

It is under the management of Michelle and her assistant Lee. Michelle worked here under the previous two incumbents, but has wrung a few changes since taking the helm. The meat for the pies is now obtained from a local butcher and the mince is given a generous treatment of seasoning before the bake for a more flavoursome end product. The eels are sourced from that legendary maritime operation Barneys.

The enigma of the handle remains unsolved.

Two long banquet tables form the main playing surface of this diner; there is a supplemental side-counter with bar stools for the busier moments.

The presence of ten clubbers certainly busied things up. Although their presence was heralded by post, there had been an unexpected spike of delivery orders that morning, causing a backlog front-of-house. However, a communal table enabled the flow of convivial conversation and banter for which the Pie and Mash Club is justly noted.

A happy conjunction with the half term meant we were joined by a gentleman and his scholar. The triple double combo pictured above was the starter for renowned Middlesex Ringer and Tower Captain of St Saviours, Peter Harvey.

A common cold was not enough to deflect Charlotte Harvey from her chosen course, such is the restorative effect of grub plain and simple. Woe betide the imbecilian ratbag who cometh betwixt herself and the ambrosial foodstuff.

The collective mounted a twenty-handed assault on the traditional foodstuffs; here in action are two constituent fellows, Ray Goldstone and Doug Benford.

At this shop two scoops constitutes a single portion of mash, contriving something of a cookie monster effect on the plate of Ed Mosse esq. As usual, it was one of everything for the legend of showbiz.

The champ easily saw off Pete Harvey's pie challenge with a canny double eels to secure the day's high score of 37.

I felt Leader had more in him but, as is often his luck, such was the inordinate delay in the arrival of his second plate that any further accumulation of points was inconceivable.

Mike Goldwater was 29 on the 21st. A birthday card and an outbreak of song in the shop caused the lad the necessary embarrassment; an opportunity for this club to vocalise is rarely missed.

Banquet and banter.

A Potter-head might dismiss the scene as 'Mugglesome' but I think there's a hint of Hogwarts about it.

Dessert – JRP and custard.

The price you pay for it . . .

. . . and a scalded tongue if you're too fast.

Here is Alf, 82, of Archway, who described himself as a bona fide Cockney born within the sonic catchment of Bow Bells. You will see him in here most lunchtimes. Alf's formative years were spent in Central Park [Ham, not NYC], when you could get in to Upton Park for 9d. So lunch in Palmer's represents an homage to his beshorted youth.

His platter looked anything but traditional, but the gravy jibes were met with good humour. It was a gum-friendly repast, with only a few discarded crusts at the end.

[Far right:] Our cheerful hosts Michelle and Lee.

While my back was turned, there was a divine intervention on my cribsheet;
God: 100 pies.

Huge bonuses were also mysteriously awarded to the Harveys.

On the other table I spied these two happy shoppers tucking into double doubles. Jean and Tony proved knowledgeable and well-travelled pie and mashers, reeling off an impressive list of shops past and present.

Their visit to this establishment was certainly facilitated by some highly convenient patron parking.

The Club poses in one of those forecourt parking spaces.

Verdict: tastier, and even more traditional than I remember from our last visit. Palmer's serves up a characteristic East London Pie.

The Harvey's saddled up and headed back to their native Walthamstonia with zero emissions – as far as we know.

The remainder of the company ambled up the A112 to that fine station of refreshment, The Black Lion.

Snug.
St@