Witness these scenes from an unscheduled event in the Pie and Mash collander, namely your correspondent's 40th birthday celebrations! This jolly beano was organised by my dear old shipmate and 'skin and blister' Rachel Rotea, seen grinning here on the right with co-attendee Levancia Clarendon. Arrangements were made in direct conjunction with Goddard's top brass. On the far right is Commodore of Crusts, Jeff Goddard, who provided the warm (some might say tropical) hospitality of the first floor dining room, complete with tables laid out in 'corral' fashion.

The Goddard's experience is a cut above the usual Pie and Mash Shop stop - they are licensed to serve bottled beers on the premises, and have a range of savoury and sweet fillings to suit all tastes. But hey, you don't need me to tell you this - just visit their website or the shop itself. These people are (from the left) Alan 'Big Al' Smith, Levancia Clarendon, and Rowan Wilson who renounced veganism just in time for this auspicious event.

Seen here: Ben Hayes, Rachel Rotea and Phil 'Formula Phil' Law, who journeyed down from Oxford to be part of the party. In pursuit of his career on the racetrack, Phil is currently raising enough sponsorship to settle the debts of several third world nations. I believe the long-term plan is to divert the sponsorship currently going to Formula One into making poverty history. Motor racing in this utopian future could feature 'Team Angola' pitted against 'Team Chad' in high-tech cars powered by renewable energy sources, with all prize money donated by the international arms trade. Over to you, Phil.

On the near right is my good buddy Edward Mosse, who managed to find time away from his theatrical engagements and London Wasps committments to fit in a plate of pie and mash. The food was successfully converted.

Grinning girlishly over there are Jo Allcock and Ursula Velazques Otero. As if there wasn't enough sweetness in the delicious desserts on offer. I plumped for rhubarb crumble and custard — a popular choice which proved the undoing of several waistbands and much huffing and puffing at the end of the meal.

This wistful lady is Angela McMahon, who with Ms V O and Daniel Bouquet (looming, right) turned up late after devouring a full English beef roast at an address in Peckham. Their transition into party mode was eased by several generous glasses of Chateau de Goddard Rouge. Despite their non-consumption of the excellent victuals, you can see that a discretionary 5 points in the p-n-m league was awarded to one and all for making it such a savoury occasion.

And finally here are some pictures of yours truly cheesing manfully for the camera. The grin is gorgonzola-esque. The companions are just plain zola-esque. Shortly afterwards we were invited to settle the bill and leave the premises. If memory serves, the pie and mash meal deal, including dessert and a couple of bevs, came to about £8 a head. You can't say fairer than that.

The evening was rounded off with a quick circum-navigation of the Cutty Sark, and a couple of snifters in the boozer across the street. Once again, a big thankyou to Rach for making it happen, and to Jeff and his staff for hospitality par excellence.

St@