William Walton’s and Pukka Pies Celebrate 50 Years in Piefect Harmony

An iconic Fish and Chip shop in Anstey is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and has been awarded the Pukka Pies Chip Shop of the month award.

William Walton’s, on Forest Gate in Anstey, first opened its doors in 1963, the same year as Leicestershire pie manufacturer Pukka Pies started trading and has become an important part of Anstey life.

The family owned businesses are both currently in the hands of the second generation with Tim and Andrew Storer at Pukka Pies and Jane Walton from William Walton’s.

The former Forest Fryer, in Forest Gate, Anstey, was run by William Walton for 25 years until ill health forced him to shut it in 1996 but was re opened by his daughter and named after him in 2011.

Jane Walton commented; “We are delighted to be sharing our 50th birthday with Pukka Pies this year.  From the first day that dad opened the doors we have been selling Britain’s favourite branded pie and the partnership with Pukka Pies is still going strong 50 years on.  We pride ourselves on the quality of our produce and the partnership with Pukka Pies continues to go from strength to strength and we look forward to sharing future birthdays with them.”

Pukka Pies Co-Managing Director, added; “William Walton’s have been a very loyal customer of Pukka Pies and we would like to extend our congratulations on reaching their 50th anniversary.  It is great to see another local family business flourishing and playing such an important role in the community.  We are very proud to still be supplying a number of our original customers from back in 1963 and look forward to continuing our partnership with them long into the future.”

Mr Storer’s first Pukka Pies’ creation was the Steak and Kidney Pie and it was his wife Valerie who produced the recipe for the Chicken and Mushroom Pie, which like all the pies, remains the same recipe today.

Pukka Pies serve the UK, Ireland, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Malta, Gibraltar and France with a network of National and European distributors along with their own multi-drop delivery vehicles in the Midlands.

Pukka Pies are brand leaders in both the multiples and food on the go market. They supply a range of pies and pasties to thousands of fish and chip shops and supermarkets as well as serving football stadiums, pubs, cafes and university campuses across the country. Pukka Pies also export worldwide.