51�Թ�

This relief usually consisted of potted beef and pease pudding; items that, given the limited capacity for long-term food storage in the 19th century, had some chance of surviving the journey between islands.

There will be a DJ along with special Irish-inspired menu items including corned beef with pease pudding and dumplings; lamb-stuffed cabbage purses; colcannon with pork sausages; plenty of Guinness and flights of Irish whiskey.

This week, he takes his terrible geordie accent to the north-east to go salmon and trout fishing in Blyth, glass–blowing in Sunderland and pease pudding–making in Durham.

Nevertheless, the southern contingent face some tricky moments: just how does one prepare pease pudding?

When I realised Greggs no longer sold ham and pease pudding stotties I thought: 'Is this what it has come to?'