Pastry fans at a Worcester pub will be treated to the upper crust of pies at a weekly theme night starring Mad O’Rourkes Pie Factory. The new link-up between the iconic Tipton eatery and The Maple Leaf pub will see the Canada Way watering hole sell a range of Mad O’Rourkes’ pies in a bid to offer something extra special to their punters.
It is the latest in a series of new ventures for Mad O’Rourkes, after the Hurst Lane restaurant launched their Pies by Post scheme in lockdown, which sees the firm sell their tasty treats to pie aficionados and Black Country expats all over the UK.
Landlord at The Maple Leaf, David Davies, said his Black Country roots had inspired him to look up Mad O’Rourkes when he and his partner Heidi Kirkham were seeking something unique to add to the pub’s food offering, following the launch of their new menu on September 3.
David, 55, who hails from Brierley Hill, said they had been drawn to Mad O’Rourkes due to their excellent reputation and the well-known brand being ‘synonymous’ with the Black Country. “It’s where we’re from, so it’s a nod to our roots,” he said.
“We wanted to find a way of changing things up, so when we saw Mad O’Rourkes were doing Pies by Post, we ordered some to try - and we absolutely loved them. So now we’ll be selling them for a special pie night every Wednesday and if they do well we’ll hopefully be adding them either to the new menu or as a regular special.”
David, who has run The Maple Leaf with his partner Heidi for the last 16 years, says the pies will go down perfectly with the Black Country beers he has on tap - Banks’s Bitter and Banks’s Mild. He added that just this week he has started to see more Black Country folk visit the pub, as their children are buying homes in the area - an added incentive to have a well-known West Midlands brand on offer.
The Maple Leaf will be selling a range of the Tipton-made pies: the Posh ‘n’ Becks (steak and stilton), the Sticky Rib, the Hen Pecked (chicken and mushroom), the Eeny Meeny Beeny (vegan chilli veg), Wham Bam Thank You Lamb (minted lamb), 100% Bullocks (steak) and more.
Owner of Mad O’Rourkes Pie Factory, Peter Towler, said: “We’re delighted to be able to provide Worcester pub goers with our high quality handmade pies. We’re known throughout the Midlands, so I’m sure they will go down very well with the customers at The Maple Leaf.”
When it comes to great grub, 60-year-old Peter Towler knows his stuff. He has been in the food industry all his life, being the son of a baker - and has spent 30 years managing and owning the Hurst Street-based Mad O’Rourkes Pie Factory, so when it comes to the finest pastry and delicious fillings, he’s your man.
