IT'S that time of year again.

Children's thoughts turn to Santa, the festive lights are turned on in our high streets, and the Festive Bake is finally available again at Greggs.

In the UK, the arrival of the Festive Bake at Greggs is perhaps only rivalled by the appearance of Creme Eggs in the supermarkets and pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks.

But is Gregg's festive savoury the best?

Greggs Festive Bake.

Greggs Festive Bake.

You see, for me as someone who grew up in Flintshire, before Greggs there was Sayers.

With Lodwicks, Mr Bevans, Tesco, Woolies, and most recently Alf Jones & Son all departed, Sayers is one of the few shops that remain in Shotton's high street that I remember from my childhood.

So for me, my earliest memories of being handed a hot (or at least warm) sausage roll in a paper bag are of Sayers, not Greggs.

And do Sayers do a Festive Bake? Why, yes. Yes they do. They call it a Festive Pasty though.

But which is best?

There's only one way to find out.

No, I'm not going to make them fight, I'm going to eat them! Or rather I did eat them.

I ordered from Sayers in Shotton and Greggs in Dobshill, and this is what I thought.

Greggs Festive Bake

(£2.50, UberEats price, in store prices may vary)

The main elements of chicken, stuffing, bacon, and cranberry sauce are all distinct within the pasty. The chicken pieces are of a good enough size to add texture, with the bacon adding a salty savouriness, and the sauce giving that festive tang.

 

Greggs Festive Bake.

Greggs Festive Bake.

The creamy sauce binds all the elements together within a lattice pastry case topped with breadcrumbs for that extra seasonal touch.

In short, it's a really good pasty that does delivery on feeling festive.

And now the challenger...

Sayers Festive Pasty

(£2.55, JustEat price, in store prices may vary, Sayers also trades as Hampsons and Poundbakery)

On the plus side, I prefer the Sayers pastry. It's flakier than the Greggs version, but there's nothing to distinguish its exterior from the meat and potato and cheese and onion varieties on offer.

 

Sayers Festive Pasty.

Sayers Festive Pasty.

The filling, for me, unfortunately doesn't match Greggs.

The sauce is as rich and creamy as its rival, but there isn't really much else there.

Sayers Festive Pasty.

Sayers Festive Pasty.

Although containing chicken, bacon and stuffing, the contents is more like a sauce. It's a very good sauce, but it lacks the texture of the Greggs' filling.

And it also lacks the zing of cranberry sauce, making it hard to appreciate what is festive about it.

In summary, both Sayers and Greggs bakes have the same appeal.

Available for a limited time each year, from early November until around Christmas, there is a sense of it being special.

Both have the trivector of what you want in a pasty: affordable, convenient, and comforting.

The warm, comforting flavours of chicken, stuffing, and cranberry sauce (for one) make them a seasonal treat that captures the essence of Christmas.

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As with many of Greggs' and Sayers' items, the festive savouries are budget-friendly and easy to grab on the go, making them a quick option for those seeking a bit of festive cheer.

However, the next time I order from Sayers I will opt for one of their traditional items, which they do very well.

But if I want something festive in pasty form, I'll be going to Greggs.

Sayers

Sayers the Bakers, often referred to simply as "Sayers," is a well-known bakery chain in the UK, primarily based in the North West of England. Founded in 1912 in Liverpool, Sayers has grown into a popular bakery brand with a long history of serving traditional baked goods and savoury treats.

Founding: Sayers was established by Fred and Lillian Sayer, initially operating from a small shop. Over the decades, it expanded its offerings and locations, becoming a staple in the North West.

In the 1970s, Sayers expanded by acquiring other bakery chains like Hampsons. It operated a significant number of stores across the region, including standalone shops and kiosks in malls.

Greggs

Greggs is a well-known British bakery chain that has become a staple across the UK. It was founded in 1939 and has grown to be the largest bakery chain in the country, known for its wide variety of bakery items, including savouries, sandwiches, and sweet treats.

Founding: Greggs was established by John Gregg in 1939 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Initially, it started as a single shop delivering fresh eggs and yeast, and then expanded into baked goods after the war.

The business was run by John's son, Ian Gregg, after his father’s death in 1964. Under his leadership, Greggs expanded rapidly, opening stores across the North East. By the 1980s and 1990s, Greggs had acquired other regional bakery chains, allowing it to expand nationally.

National Presence: By the 2000s, Greggs had become a household name with thousands of outlets throughout the UK, making it the largest bakery chain in the country.