Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, visited a Pattingham butcher to congratulate him on becoming the first entrant outside Yorkshire to win on of the main awards at the Great Yorkshire Pork Pie, Sausage and Black Pudding Competition.
Craig Thomas of Martin Thomas Family Butchers in Wolverhampton Road, Pattingham was chosen as the black pudding champion. The prizewinning black pudding and winner of the WR Wright & Sons Trophy was a black pudding which incorporated real ale from the Black Country, produced by Batham’s Brewery in Quarry Bank, near to where the parents of present owner Craig Thomas had once owned a shop.
Craig, who is a sixth generation butcher, says that tradition remains key to the philosophy of the business, which first started making its own award-winning black puddings in 1998. He was awarded his prize in Walton, Liverpool, where he received the trophy from the company’s technical sales manager Steve Sefton.
On hearing the news Gavin said: “I was delighted that Craig won the Great Yorkshire Black Pudding Award. As a Yorkshireman I know how fierce the competition is, but feel a great pride in seeing that one of my own constituents has been able to scoop this title truly proving that in South Staffordshire we have the best butchers anywhere in the country. I would like to offer Craig many congratulations on his well-deserved award for some of the finest produce in this country.”