London pie store about to fold after 128 years thanks to gentrification

THE manager of an iconic meat pie store has hit out at people on “fad diets”, blaming animal lovers for the demise of his business.

FOR 128 years, AJ Goddard’s Pie and Mash has sold hearty, traditional meat pies to the hungry masses.

But now, customers no longer want what the store is selling.

The historic south-east London outlet is due to close its doors on October 7 — and manager Simon Clarke says there’s one group that’s squarely to blame for the business going under.

According to Mr Clarke, the company is no longer viable thanks to the gentrification of the area which began in the early noughties, coupled with the rise of veganism.

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“People that have moved in around here over the last few years are definitely into fad diets,” The Sun reported Mr Clarke as saying.

“I’ve had a few people come in off the streets asking if I do vegan pies.

“It’s like some kind of bad joke — we’re a traditional pie and mash shop, of course we don’t sell vegan pies.”

He said he was devastated to have watched his business fail over the years.

“Everyone’s moved away and my clientele is not here no more,” Mr Clarke said.

“The queue was hanging out the door but now it’s dribs and drabs.

“Now half the people who walk past the shop don’t know what pie and mash is.

“It’s going to be a sad day when we close … I will have a tear in my eye, there’s nothing I can do.”

AJ Goddard’s Pie and Mash is closing down after 128 years — because of vegans. Picture: TripAdvisor

AJ Goddard’s Pie and Mash was founded in 1890 during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Over the years, it has attracted a slew of regular customers as well as a number of celebrity fans, including actor Idris Elba.

Mr Clarke said he would hold a party for his regular customers on the last day of trading on October 7, and that he planned on opening a new shop in the meat pie-friendly area of Kent in the near future.

Veganism is a growing trend worldwide and is especially popular in the United Kingdom, with the BBC reporting the number of vegans had jumped from 150,000 in 2006 to 542,000 in 2016.

The trend is growing in Australia as well, with the number of Aussies eating a mainly vegetarian diet rising by over 23 per cent in the last four years, according to Roy Morgan research.

Animals Australia has also claimed veganism was the fastest growing food movement in the world.

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