Passions around pasties look set to flare up once again in Cornwall, after Greggs announced it would open a bakery in the home of the delicacy within weeks.
Greggs’s planned foray into the heart of Cornwall, with a shop on Truro high street, is not the first time the chain has attempted to crack the county - but it will be its most conspicuous effort.
In 2019, it opened its first store in Saltash, close to the Devon border, but was forced to close it after just nine months because of a lack of business.
The company has since opened two shops in Cornwall - one on the Pennygillam Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Launceston and one at the Cornwall Services by the A30.
The premises slated for December 6 inside a former Co-op would be in the county’s only city, and the plans have provoked ire among locals.
One resident described it as "the Devil's spawn", with another saying that any new stores that try to open in Cornwall "won't last".
Signs for the new Greggs started appearing in Truro in October last year. This summer, the chain told CornwallLive that it would be opening in September. An electronic billboard inside the shop says it will open on Tuesday, December 6.
The new shop on St Nicholas Street is a short distance from Cornish pasty makers Rowe’s and Warrens, which claims to be the oldest producer in the world.
Despite the bakery having been there since 1860, some are already fearing the newcomer will steal business with a petition calling for Greggs to be blocked from opening.
It states that the Cornish pasty accounts for £300 million worth of trade each year, which is 20 per cent of Cornwall's food and drink industry, and urges: “Do not open the branch in Truro.”
Let customers decide
David Harris, Conservative councillor for Gloweth, Malabar and Shortlanesend, told The Telegraph the bakery will be hard-pressed to beat locally made pasties, but ultimately it’s up to customers to decide.
“Cornish pasties are a very local thing," he said. "If you get a good one it’s beautiful. If you get a cheap and cheerful one it’s yuck...
"If people don't buy them they close - it's as simple as that."
Reacting to the news on Facebook, one resident wrote: “Why. The last one closed quickly. Give me a proper Cornish bakery anytime.
Another added: ''This is the first major battle in a full-on war. It is an invasion on our capital.''
One resident, quoted by CornwallLive, said: "I don’t think it’ll stay long in Truro. Hardly no one wants it. I had a Greggs sausage roll and [it] wasn’t cooked through. Definitely won’t be trying another one."
Legally protected name
In 2011, the term "Cornish pasty" was given protected status by the European Commission, meaning that only pasties made in the county from a traditional recipe can use the name.
The planned opening comes as Greggs looks to aggressively expand its operations with 100 new shops a year.
Ross Hindle, an analyst at Third Bridge, said: "Greggs has been able to punch above its weight in this climate because of its low pricing, wide-appeal marketing, and shops outside city centres."
A Greggs spokeswoman said: "We can confirm we are due to open a new shop in Truro later this year.
"We will be sure to share further information in due course."
