Highland League Nairn County's pie in a roll proves an online sensation amid traditional Bovril and sausage roll offerings at Station Park
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A Highland League football club’s novel tongue-in-cheek half-time treat for fans has been a sensation on social media.
With no takers despite invitations to local businesses to run the tea hut at Station Park after the lifting of Covid-related restrictions, partners and wives of Nairn County’s board rolled up their sleeves and formed a rota to feed hungry fans.
As well as the traditional half-time Bovril and sausage rolls, the team have introduced vegan delights and other tasty morsels.
But a big hit with fans has been a pie in a roll supplied by local baker Ashers.
Catering team leader Cindy Milne said: “It was done for fun, and while most fans are happy with the conventional pie and cuppa we do get requests for the pie in a roll. Our marketing guru Donald Graham put it on Twitter for a laugh and we were amazed when it got nearly 6000 tweets. We even got a mention on Chris Evans’ Sky TV Breakfast Show.”
Such was the response Donald, who was part of a team which raised a staggering £100,000 over seven years for investment in improvements to the ground, has come up with a novel hat badge available for £2 plus P&P.
“It’s not going to make us millions, but its about engaging with fans, and football supporters love novel merchandise and they are already being snapped up by buyers from all over the country,” said Donald, who has over the years produced everything from place mats to whisky glasses with the Nairn County brand to raise funds for the club.
“I’m vegan, so I can’t take a pie in a roll unless we can get vegan pies. But Cindy and her team are doing a fantastic job, and the proceeds from the tea hut now go into a pot to help with ground improvements and it’s been a great success.”
Cindy added: “We initially tried to put the tea hut out to tender to local businesses to run the tea shop but there were no takers.
“We then decided to run it in-house and it’s been a fantastic success and we are having fun doing it.
“We recruited seven new volunteers who are family members and friends of committee members and they go between the tea shop and the boardroom hospitality.
“The fans have been so supportive to us and very patient when we sell out as its pretty new to me, guessing how many pies to order for the games.
“Hospitality has been revamped and we all are dressed in our branded colours and have been having great feedback from sponsors and visiting guests, new packages will be advertised shortly.”
County chairman Donald Matheson said: “We’ve a very small committee so the help running the tea hut and hospitality is a massive help. We are always on the lookout for new board members with various skill sets and volunteers who may not wish to take on the full responsibility of being on the board but perhaps are willing to help our groundsman and his team and with fundraising.”
