A pie and mash shop described as “a unique part of the capital’s history” has been awarded Grade II listing. L Manze Eel, Pie and Mash Shop on Walthamstow High Street, east London, has been recognised for its “beautifully preserved interiors”, English Heritage said. The eatery still exists for its original purpose and has been given extra protection.

Heritage Minister Ed Vaizey said: “Pie and mash shops are as intrinsically linked to London as black cabs and beefeaters. L Manze’s in Walthamstow is a unique part of the capital’s heritage and is as relevant and popular now as it was when it first opened in the 1920s.”

The Walthamstow shop is particularly beautiful. It was part of a successful chain established in the early 1900s by Michaele Manzo, a native of Ravello in southern Italy whose parents settled in Bermondsey in 1878. He effectively married into the business when he wed Ada Poole, daughter of London’s most successful pie shop magnate Robert Cooke, Manze’s friend and mentor.

The first Manze shop was opened on Tower Bridge Road, and is now the oldest of its kind in operation. Walthamstow was number 14, opened in 1929 by Michaele’s brother Luigi, who employed the architect Herbert Wright to create what exists today. He introduced the traditional gilt lettering, marble counters, white-tiled decor and mirrors which remain to this day. The Manze family ran the east London eatery until 1970 and current owner Jacqueline Cooper and family believe the listing is great for the area.

“It’s really a gem of Walthamstow and I’m just delighted because the shop is so beautiful,”Mrs Cooper said. Mrs Cooper, whose family have run the shop since 1986, said pie and mash popularity was on the rise too. “We get all different walks of life coming in,” she said. “I think it’s becoming a little trendier now – especially with everyone knowing David Beckham eats it.”

The shop joins around 345,000 buildings that have this level of protected status in England. Roger Bowdler, designation director for English Heritage, said: "Eel, pie and mash shops are a unique feature of the London scene and represent some of our oldest traditions of fast food. This 1920s example with its beautifully preserved interior is among the best of an increasingly rare kind and strongly deserves to be listed."

Inspectors estimate that there are about 30 traditional pie and mash shops still in existence, concentrated in the East End and south-east London with a few outliers in Essex new towns and seaside resorts.

to be awarded – díjazva lenni
to be recognised – elismerve lenni
preserved – megőrzött
interior – belső tér, belső
heritage – örökség
eatery – étkezde
purpose – cél
intrinsically – lényegében, valójában
to be linked to – valamihez kapcsolva lenni
relevant – releváns, vonatkozó
to be established – alapítva lenni
to settle in – letelepedni
effectively – hatékonyan
magnate – mágnás
in operation – működésben lévő
gilt lettering – aranyozott felirat
marble counter – márvány pult
white-tiled – fehér csempés
to remain – megmaradni
current – jelenlegi
to be on the rise – felemelkedőben lenni
designation – megnevezés, rendeltetés
feature – jellemvonás, jellemző
increasingly – növekvően
rare – ritka
strongly – erősen, határozottan
to deserve – megérdemelni
inspector – felügyelő, ellenőr
to estimate – becsülni
in existence – (még) létező, működő
outlier – kívülálló, kívül található
seaside resort – tengerparti üdülőhely