ODDIES is an East Lancashire insitition. The Nelson-based bakery has been around for more than 100 years - and people who don’t like their pies and pastries really don’t know their foodstuffs in my considered opinion.

They have branched out over the years and can now be found in towns across the area and thankfully there is an Oddies in Blackburn Market, just a few hearty strides from Telegraph Towers.

I took those strides one day this week and went straight for one of their sandwiches of the week plus a fisherman’s pasty and I knew I wouldn’t be let down.

Back at my desk the big decision was whether to get stuck into the pasty or the butty first and liking all things pastry, the pasty won out.

Still warm, it really was good but be warned, an Oddies pasty can be a messy exercise and I have now been banned from crawling around to lick the floor when I make a mess so a few hours later the office cleaner was giving me a dirty look as she tried to clean up my crumbs around me.

The sandwich of the week was a lottery and it certainly contained prawns and maybe even celery. Again that was high quality on a perfect teacake.

Oddies isn’t anywhere close to being a discount shop - but you get what you pay for and I will always go that extra few pence for their wares.

VERDICT

  • Taste: 9
  • Speed: 8
  • Value: 8
  • Choice: 8