April 2026. Skipton.
Last week we went to Skipton again. Three (3) reasons; a re-opened GBG new entry to tick, a blog post series idea to explore, and a pork pie to audit.
In 2022 I had declared Stanforths the best pork pie in England,
but a recent change of ownership (if not name) had seen a string of scathing reviews.
I clearly needed to investigate.
But first…
Yes, we took the direct, 90 minute train, and didn’t notice our Skipton stop. I bought that £2.50 single at Gargrave, choosing not to tell ChatGPT the “business” I’d visited that village for in 2022.
Back in Skipton, with a barely audible station announcement, we’re greeted with one of the UK’s few remaining “Town map for a quid” machines.
Which makes sense, as Skipton’s tourism is largely boomers who can’t hold a mobile phone and navigate their way round a town of 15,042 souls by Google Maps.
Mrs RM doubted my assertion about the buoyant tourist trade,
despite a pleasing arrival over the canal.
I mean, it’s all a bit chain shop.
We start at the town hall with its shiny museum and art gallery.
Press PLAY to see the prime exhibit.
A bit high brow for some, I reckon.
Rather than “elucidating these juxtapositions”, we headed for the pubs,
and the pork pie shop by the canal.
Stanforths isn’t busy, and the pies are up from £1.30 to £2 in four years, but I’m going to go against the grain here. This is still a great pork pie, a vast blob of chewy meat with just enough gravy. NPSS 4, but that’ll do.
Yorkshire folk just don’t like change, do they ?
retiredmartin 
I was enticed into that Castle Inn fifty-four weeks ago by a sign indicating that Old Peculiar was a permanent beer there.
The highlight of my journey home from Skipton was Holts drinking exceptionally well in the exceptional Hare and Hounds.
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When was the Holts at the Hare & Hounds last not drinking well, I wonder !
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Gravy? In a pork pie? What is this heresy?
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Hi, Rich here. Yes, I think RM has been knowledgeable by Stanforths into giving a more positive review than expected, and his only way of communicating this issue is his deliberate use of the word gravy instead of gelatine or jelly.
I hope to provide him with a selection of proper growers to remedy this issue on our next meet, and have already invited him into the fb Yorkshire Pork Pie appreciation society.
As the big orange whatsit says, thank you for your attention in this matter 😁😂
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*Nobbled, not knowledgable, or maybe autocorrect got it right ???
Think we need a pie-off to decide….
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Definitely NOT jelly, runny like gravy.
I shall be returning!
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The Home Of The Pork Pie is the East Midlands.
Yorkshire – all of it – can do one.
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…a Proper Pork Pie does not have a pointless hole in the pastry lid, allowing bacteria to get to the meat inside, and to shorten its good keeping.
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“Runny like gravy”? This is a strange pork pie as Richard Thompson almost certainly didn’t write.
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Two left feet, two left feet, how can you pour porky shoulder rendered gelatin with two left feet…..
Again as Richard Thompson nearly said…..
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It’s Richard Thompson’s world and we’re just living in it.
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Water shots just fine and dandy. I will skip any porkpie.
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