Bid to slice Melton Mowbray pork pie production zone refused

An application to shrink the geographical area where Melton Mowbray pork pies can be produced has been rejected.

The pies have special protected geographical status, which means only producers using the traditional recipe and in the vicinity of the Melton Mowbray can use the Leicestershire town’s name.

The pastry can be produced in the town of Melton Mowbray and its surrounding region, including Nottingham to the north and Northampton to the south, but The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association (MMPPA) applied for this area to be reduced.

However, the request was refused by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) in decision notice published on Wednesday.

The pie’s status is called Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the MMPPA, said when the group originally applied for the protection – awarded in 2008 – they “had historical evidence as to where the boundaries should go”.

He said: “In the south, the boundary was originally the road between Leicester and Stamford.”

But Defra suggested it be extended because a company in Wellingborough, which had been making the pork pies for decades, objected as it would have been outside the area, Mr O’Callaghan said.

Mr O’Callaghan added: “We agreed the area would be almost doubled so as to go down to the south to include this producer in Wellingborough.”

However, he said the producer – Saxby’s – had closed and no pork pies had been made in that area for at least 10 years.

Mr O’Callaghan said the association therefore thought it was reasonable to ask Defra to amend the region to the original proposal.

“It would not have affected anybody currently producing Melton Mowbray pork pies,” he added.

He said the association was “disappointed” the application was rejected “because we think what people want when they buy a Melton Mowbray pork pie is a pie tied to a historic area”.

Explaining the area they wanted the protection reduced to, he said it was between “the Leicester to Stamford road – the A47 [to the south], the Great North Road the A1 [to the east], the River Trent in the north, including Nottingham, and then to the west, the River Soar”.

Defra’s notice rejecting the application said: “The proposed amendment would reduce the geographical production area and exclude certain producers from using the PGI designation.

“This would directly affect market access and impose new trade restrictions, which is not permitted under the regulation.”

It added: “The applicant has not provided sufficient evidence to show that the quality, reputation, or characteristics of the product are now exclusive to the proposed smaller area.”

The association has been advised if it opts to appeal against the decision, the deadline is 2 April.