Bun Wars is back! (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Bun Wars is back!

AN election bun fight has broken out in Minehead.

FOOD'S Tasha Smith, Paul List, Jackie Barnes and Tom Wedlake with the party-coloured treats and the infamous Bun-o-Meter. PHOTO: Steve Guscott

Food, the seaside town’s only artisan bakery, is serving Election Buns – iced buns with coloured icing representing the country’s leading political parties – with daily sales tracked using the ‘Bun-o-Meter’.

First used back in 1992 when John Major was leading the Conservatives, young baker and entrepreneur Steve Wells introduced not just Minehead but also the country to the big ‘bun fight’.

And having once successfully predicted the General Election winner, the Bun-o-Meter is back in use thanks to Steve and business partner Dane Barnes.

Steve told the County Gazette: “We did it back in ’92 and have been out of the retail bakery industry for quite a few years but we got back into it last year and decided it was a good time to dust off the Bun-o-Meter again.

“Sales have been good and it’s neck and neck between the Tories and Labour – it really is too close to call on the bun front!

“I can reassure people there has been no bun-rigging at this end.”

In its previous run out in 1992, the Bun-o-Meter drew interest from TV, radio stations and newspapers across the country and had all local candidates visiting the baker to take a bite of their own party’s buns.

Green Party candidate Charles Graham visited the store on Monday morning to taste his party’s buns. Lib Dem candidate Theo Butt Philip visited on Wednesday and Labour and Conservative candidates have also been invited.

Asked why buns were not on sale for Independent Bob Cudlipp, UKIP candidate Peter Hollings and BNP hopeful Donna Treanor, Steve said: “There are only so many colours we can have in the shop window!”