Forget Everton vs Liverpool, because Greggs vs Sayers is one of the biggest rivalries in Merseyside.
Mention one and you're bound to have someone chirp up and start singing the praises of the other. They're just pasties, pies and cakes but they mean more than that to some people. It can seem like a bit of a David and Goliath battle, especially when you consider how Greggs has around 2,300 shops nationwide. and the number of Sayers shops seems to be ever dwindling.
One the one hand, you have Sayers - started in an Old Swan basement with a history intertwined with Liverpool's own for well over a hundred years - serving products that Scousers will remember from childhood. On the other, you've got an increasingly monopolistic bakery that seems to be absolutely everywhere (11 in Liverpool city centre!), and has been going from strength to strength for years.
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When the ECHO published a story saying Greggs planned to open a 24 hour store in Liverpool city centre, one of the very first comments from a reader was: "Sayers is better. Greggs is for wools." Sayers' Norris Green factory closed in 2007 with the loss of hundreds of jobs, and its headquarters are in Bolton now, but warm feelings still remain for some.
I'll admit I grew up on Greggs. The sausage, bean and cheese melt was a childhood favourite, but if I ate it now I wouldn't be hit with a wave of nostalgia. I've had Sayers a few times. Each time the food has been pretty good (though I wouldn't write home about it) and at least they've never served me a cold, wet pepperoni pizza slice like I've had in Greggs. They also still sell bread whereas Greggs has gone right for the fast food crowd and must now sell more sausage barms than just about anyone else.
Greggs vs Sayers - who wins the debate in your opinion? Take our poll and tell us what you think in the comments.
What stood out for Sayers was that it pretty cosy inside and the people behind the counter were always up for a chat, which you don't get everywhere these days.
Still Greggs, for me, is better. I just like the reliability, and the fact is that I can walk down pretty much any street in Liverpool and the odds are I won't be far from one. But I do get Sayers, probably not like other people get it, but I get its appeal and I bet if I'd grown up on it I'd be arguing for it right now. Pound Bakery is of course another story.
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