Hate-mail BNP's Wainwright's new shop

A champion pie-making butchers in Halifax has been sold – and it's been bought by a former BNP candidate who sent hate mail to Calderdale's first Asian councillor.

Brian Wainwright – who admitted sending offensive and threatening posters to Coun Mohammed Najib, to a Halifax mosque and to an anti-fascism campaigner – has bought J and P Cryer butchers in Ovenden.

Owners Jim and Pat Cryer have retired after 40 years – and they have passed on their secret pork-pie recipe to Mr Wainwright and his wife, Lorraine. For 30 years Jim and Pat have been making the pork pies and each morning they perfect their pastry and prime the meat before adding their own, very secret, ingredient.

It is the same ingredient that helped them secure fourth place at last year's unofficial world pork-pie championships at the Old Bridge Inn, Ripponden, making them the best pork pie-makers in Calderdale.

Jim took over the business from his father in 1966, transforming it into the award-winning establishment it has now become. He said: "When my dad worked there we just sold meat and sausages and I wanted to take the business further."

By the time Pat started working there the pies were a big success. She said: "It is the reputation of the pies that brings people back. Customers travel from Elland, Brighouse, Skipton and further afield."

The couple have two daughters, Jayne Greenwood, 40, and Sally Patefield, 38, and four grandchildren. They will spend their retirement globetrotting and visiting friends across the country.

The hate-mail charges against Mr Wainwright were later dropped because he was not charged within the six-month time limit for summary offences.

Mrs Cryer said: "We knew Brian had some sort of past with the BNP but we were not sure what it was about. We did not see how it would affect him taking over the business. As far as we are concerned it is something that is in his past."

Mr Wainwright would not comment when asked if he thought his court case would affect his trade.

Halifax Evening Courier