A meat pie empire has opened its first cafe in Brighton.

Mr Daly’s Pie & Mash Shop – which first opened in Southend, Essex, in 2009 – now occupies a site in Brighton’s Lanes.

The firm’s parent company, Eelhouse, was set up by Southend entrepreneur Jim Thurston, 30, to revolutionise the way traditional London pies were sold.

Instead of being sold as over the counter produce, the pies, baked in Southend, are marketed online via what Mr Thurston describes as “a virtual Cockney cafe”.

As well as the pies, Mr Daly’s is selling another iconic Essex product – Rossi ice cream.

Mr Thurston said: “It’s the first time Rossi has been sold on the south coast, and it’s going down a treat.”

Mr Daly’s also operates as a museum of the East End, with items like pearly king and queen costumes and a suit that belonged to gangster Ronnie Kray.

Mr Thurston set on Brighton for a new location when his wife won a free weekend in the city.

Mr Daly’s, which opened on June 10, is already attracting a high-calibre clientele. Mr Thurston added: “One of the tearooms had a sixmonth waiting list, so I realised that there was a market for this sort of thing.

“The Mayor of Brighton has booked for herself and 40 guests.

“We were contacted for an appearance on TV’s Great British Bake Off, but we had to turn them down, as it would have meant giving away our special pie formula.”