THE Wykeham Arms is to support two Winchester charities through sales of its Wyke Pie.

The pub will be donating 25p for every Wyke Pie sold to the Winchester Cathedral Fund, which contributes to its ongoing restoration, as well as 25p to the Theatre Royal’s charity Play to The Crowd, which runs local arts events. As previously reported, Play to The Crowd recently lost its government funding.

The Wyke Pie was created in the 1960s by then-landlord of the pub Phillip Marshall and it has been a staple ever since.

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Current head chef, Luke Emmess, has worked to improve the recipe, with a mix of braised mutton and lamb, mixed with lamb jus and topped with mashed potatoes.

Jon Howard, general manager of The Wykeham Arms, said: “The Wyke Pie is a dish of legendary tastiness and I’m delighted that we can now use it to help fund these two amazing local causes. A great pub should always provide hearty food to nourish the soul and be at the centre of the local community – and this initiative beautifully combines those two key principles.

“If you’ve never been to The Wykeham Arms, or never had a Wyke Pie – there is no better time to come. Luke is a fantastic chef and his take on this pub tradition is just delicious. I guarantee that you will not leave disappointed.”