MIDDLE-CLASS families facing a hit to their finances will get vouchers for Charlie Bigham pies in order to help them through the summer.
The move comes amid growing concern that comfortable families are struggling to justify spending almost ten pounds on a meal they then have to heat up themselves.
Eleanor Shaw of Harrogate said: “We’re in a tricky spot financially – not so poor we have to save money by making everything from scratch, but nor so rich we have time to make everything from scratch.
“I never thought we’d have to take handouts, but if this is how we can still enjoy chicken and mushroom pie made by a company whose name sounds like an Oxford rowing blue, I’m not going to let pride stand in my way.”
Julian Cook, a father of five from Dorking, said: “Apparently Rishi Sunak wanted to provide cheeseboards for every middle-class family in the country, but that’s fallen by the way because nurses need salaries.
“What about us? I’m risking my life going in M&S because they still don’t have a delivery service. Where are government subsidies when we need them?
“These pies will be a lifeline to communities struggling to stay interested in upmarket food with gastropubs off-limits and an economy that means they can’t move up to an Aga.”
