Linda and Tony Gilkes could see ‘bags and bags’ of pies that were ready to be put on display but were told they couldn’t have any (Picture: NJCM)

A couple have reacted with anger after they were told they couldn’t buy meat pies before 9am.

Linda and Tony Gilkes went to their local Morrisons to buy eight large sausage rolls and two steak bakes at 8.45am last Wednesday.

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Linda said: ‘I could see bags and bags of pies, all wrapped up on cages behind the counter. The trolley was ready to be pushed out.

‘But when I asked for the pies, I was told: “We can’t sell the pies until 9am”. I could have had a fruit pie, but not a meat pie.’


Five other people joined the queue at Berwick Hills and saw the meat treats in the back.



They were told that the shop had a ‘no meat pies before 9am’ policy.

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Tony, who has fish and chips three days a week and says he rarely touches pastry, believes Morrisons have a hidden agenda.

He said: ‘You can have fruit pies, but you can’t have meat pies.’

Linda, a grandmother of four, said: ‘If they hadn’t been cooked, that would make sense, but the fact that they were baked, well – it’s ridiculous. If I could’ve reached over, I would have grabbed them myself.

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‘They are dictating to me when I can buy pies and when I can shop.’

Mr Wilkes added: ‘When you’re faced with that situation at the counter, you start thinking: ‘Is it Candid Camera? Is it April Fool’s Day?’

‘We have always been able to get the pies before 9am. The decision makes no sense. I can’t see any logic.’

Morrisons told The Gazette there is no ‘hard and fast policy’ and meat pies are simply baked for 9am to match customer demand.

But Tony suggested a more sinister explanation.

‘There’s more to this,’ he said. ‘Morrisons have got their own agenda.

‘They don’t want people to know about it, They have given too many ridiculous stories about why. They contradicted themselves over and over.

‘Who do they think us customers are? We are the people paying their wages.’

A spokesman for Morrisons said: ‘It appears that in this case we should have sold the customer their pies.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience it might have caused.’

Linda concluded: ‘I wasn’t waiting 20 minutes so I went to Cooplands. I was disappointed to say the least.’