Warrington's Best for Pies: award-winning pies for more than a century

Tomlins Bakery on Synge Street first opened its doors in 1905 when mother and daughter Clarice and Lucy Holbrook started a bakery and confectionary business.

Over the past 118 years, customers have queued out the door to buy one of the mouth-wateringly delicious pies and other baked goods and they’re now officially the best in Warrington.

Each week, we will be searching for the best Warrington has to offer in different categories.

Last week, Ashleigh Hair and Beauty took the first Best of 2023 title – Best for Hair in Warrington.

We started with Best for Hair and then moved onto Best for Pies and Best for Nails.

Voting for Warrington’s Best for Nails is currently taking place and we’re also looking for nominations in our latest search - Best for Roast Dinner.

Eight tasty pies in Warrington made the shortlist for Best for Pies with Tomlins Bakery beating off some tough competition and taking the coveted tile.

George Tomlin bought the business from the Holbrook family just after the Second World War and transformed it into the popular bakery it still is today.

The business is now owned by husband-and-wife team Sonya and Mark Fitzpatrick, who took over at the helm almost 12 months ago.

Staff at Tomlins were given flowers and a treat in celebration of the win

The couple grew up on in houses close to the bakery and have frequented the shop throughout their lives.

The tried and tested recipes and ingredients that were used to make the first pies decades ago are still used today – closely guarded secrets that are revealed to only a few members of staff.

Mark said: “We are a scratch bakery with all our signature pies being hand raised in the traditional way, using the secret recipe handed down through generations.

“We provide fresh quality products every day and our reputation for fantastic cakes and bakes as well as the pastries and pies, is continuing to grow.

“Becoming owners of Warrington’s well-known and probably the oldest reputable bakeries has been a dream of mine for many years.

“I spent 14 years trying to buy the business and on the third attempt – in May last year – I finally completed the purchase.”

Award-winning pastries and pies at Tomlins

Mark has been in transport and distribution for most of his working life and Sonya worked at the same dental practice for 35 years so becoming business owners was a huge change and a big challenge.

Mark said: “We embraced the challenge with the vision of keeping the tradition alive as well as introducing new handmade products.

“We make, by hand, 1,200 pies a day with locally sourced ingredients where possible.”

What do customers think of Tomlins?

Nominations said this is “the best bakery ever” with one customer saying she’s been buying their pies for more than 50 years.

Mark and Sonya say children visit the bakery and talk about their parents, grandparents and great grandparents being customers over the years.

The recipe and ingredients for Tomlins pies is a closely guarded secret

So, how does it feel to be officially crowned Warrington’s Best for Pies 2023 less than a year after taking over the business?

Mark said: “To hear that we were shortlisted was fantastic news.

“To be in contention was a credit to the staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to deliver such quality products.

“Then to learn that we had won was the icing on the cake.

“It’s a massive achievement and a credit to the whole team.

“Being passed the baton 12 months ago was a daunting experience.

“When you take over an established business, which has such a loyal customer base, there is a huge amount of apprehension.

“However, we were given the warmest of welcomes and our continued support grows by the day.

“We would like to thank everyone for their support, their recommendations and their votes.

“We are truly overwhelmed.”

For more details go to facebook.com/TomlinsBakery

There have been sweet and savouring offerings at Tomlins for more than a century