News / Pubs
Pub’s cheese rolls go viral
Soon before the Sugar Loaf opened its doors on Thursday, Martin Donlin laid out that day’s handmade rolls on the bar.
“I can’t do anything about the price of beer,” the landlord explained while taking each clingfilm-wrapped roll one at a time out of a cardboard box. “But I can keep the rolls cheap and cheerful.”
These £1.50 rolls have gone viral in the last 24 hours thanks to the generous slices of Cheddar cheese and onion within them.
is needed now More than ever
Appearing first on a Reddit thread, the same photo later got shared by the No Context Brits Twitter account:
Martin remains bemused by the attention and did not realise the Easton pub’s newfound internet fame until Bristol24/7 showed him the above tweets.
He lives above the pub on St Mark’s Road with his cat, Morgan, and takes turns making the rolls with staff members.
“I wouldn’t ever use grated cheese. That is sacrilege!” said Martin, who has worked at pubs across Bristol and has been at the helm of the Sugar Loaf for four years.
Martin survived cancer during lockdown and survived a stroke in August.
“Cheese should be sliced. Grated cheese is a modern thing. The only thing to do with grated cheese is stick it on a pizza.
“Every day is different. And since I had my stroke, every roll is not the same. It’s always something with substance!”
Thursday’s rolls were bacon, lettuce and tomato; cheese and onion; and ham salad all made fresh daily with bread from the bakery at Morrisons in Fishponds – photo: Martin Booth
Martin and his team make 24 rolls every weekday and can sell as many as 70 on Saturdays as local football teams come to the pub after their game; while Sunday sees a roast served at the Loaf.
“Easton has got such a wide variety of people,” Martin added. “It’s a great community and we are for everybody and everyone.
“But we are not a food pub. We are an old-fashioned boozer run by an old-fashioned boozer.”
The Sugar Loaf is on St Mark’s Road in Easton – photo: Martin Booth
Main photo: Martin Booth
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- This small Bristol road once had almost 40 pubs
- Historic pub to be reopened by new owners
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