Good gravy! Pieminister plan to open Exeter city centre restaurant

A branch of a much-loved pie chain restaurant is planning to open in Exeter city centre.

Pieminister wants to set-up and dish out their award-winning pies, booze and ice cream near Exeter Central Station, off Queen Street.

It's big news for pie and mash (and alcohol) fans, with the trendy chain gaining a bit of a cult following since opening its first branch at a Bristol print works in 2003.

Where's it going?

A licencing application has been handed in for the empty 833 square foot former piano shop.

4 Station Crescent was home to Music Unlimited until November 2018, where it had been for 24 years.

It shut for good in November 2018.

It was opened in 1994 by Wensleigh Palmer who has had more than 40 years in the music trade.

Who are Pieminister and what can I eat there?

It sells, er, pies. Lots of them too, including gluten free and vegetarian options.

A popular choice on their menu is the 'pie & prosecco bottomless brunch" and their unique pies baked solely for the Christmas period.

It's doing well as a business too.

The business sold over five millions pies, and served 50 tonnes of mash and 4,500 litres of gravy in its restaurants over the 12-month period last year.

The family-run business, which has branches across the UK, saw sales grow 14 per cent to £14.3million for the year ending 31 March 2018 - up from £12.6milion the year before.

So what exactly does the licencing application ask of the council? 

Pieminister Limited, have applied for a premises licence at 4 Station Crescent, Queen Street, Exeter.

For Alcohol (on and off sales) and recorded music.

Licencing hours would be Monday to Saturday 11am until 11pm and Sunday 12pm until 10.30pm.

But it isn't technically Exeter's first way to eat their delicious pies...

Pieminister pies have only been available to order fresh at The University of Exeter's Streatham Campus until now. 

A kitchen, dubbed 'the caravan of pie' (because it's in a converted caravan), serves its food between 8am and 3pm Monday to Friday at the University's Students' Guild.