I had a Full English with mushy peas and gravy! MailOnline reporter battles brutal breakfast after poll shows 9% of builders have unconventional tastes

• MailOnline went to Terry’s Cafe in London to give the bizarre combo a taste test

The great British breakfast of a fry-up is a morning staple for many millions of Brits.

While the usual fare of sausage, bacon and egg may be non-negotiable, debate rages about the superior condiment for a full English – namely red or brown?

But a survey has revealed traders are turning down ketchup in favour of mushy peas or gravy on their traditional builders’ breakfast…. so I decided to try it for myself.

Although the very thought of doing so made me wince and had my stomach doing somersaults, the combination of mushy peas or gravy is apparently the preferred option for nearly one in ten tradesman, according to the new survey. 

The study, conducted by online metal suppliers metals4U, asked more than 500 tradespeople what their favourite items are on a builder’s breakfast, finding that one in 11 builders would opt for mushy peas or gravy over ketchup. 

A survey conducted by online metal suppliers metals4U, asked over 500 tradespeople what their favourite items on a builder’s breakfast, finding that one in 11 builders would opt for mushy peas or gravy over ketchup

I headed to Terry’s Cafe – located between Southwark and Borough in London – to put the unusual combination to the test

Adorned with old black and white photos of historic London events – including a school party to celebrate the 1930 coronation of King George VI – Terry’s is renowned as one of the most popular breakfast spots in the capital

Most and least popular items on a Full English

Most popular items

Bacon – 48.6%

Sausage – 46.8%

Fried egg – 39.9%

Mushroom – 32.1%

Scrambled egg – 30%

Least popular items 

Black pudding (13%)

Hash browns (15%)

Poached egg (20%)

Beans (22%)

Toast (23%)

With our curiosity piqued by these findings, I headed to Terry’s Cafe in London to put the unusual fry-up trimmings to the test. 

On a bitterly cold morning in the capital, with temperatures hovering around freezing, a hearty fry-up is just the ticket. 

Adorned with old black and white photos of historic London events – including a school party to celebrate the 1930 coronation of King George VI – Terry’s is a London institution in its own right.

With its chequered red and white table cloths and soft 50s jazz, eating at Terry’s – located between Southwark and Borough – certainly feels like a throwback experience.

Now in the hands of Terry’s son, Austin Yardley, the café has been a hotspot for one of the best breakfasts you can find in London ever since opening in 1982. 

Yardley, 44, is understandably puzzled by our unusual request but kindly agreed to accommodate it nonetheless. 

Arriving for opening time at 7:30am, I ordered The Standard breakfast (fried egg, bacon, sausage, beans and tomato) with mushy peas, gravy and, in far more traditional fashion, a cup of tea. 

Initially, the classic combination of sausages and gravy makes me think this experiment will not go as badly as first feared.

My optimism is increased by combining bacon and gravy (yes, it sounds hellish) but the richness of the gravy made it taste akin to a pleasant substitute for HP sauce.

Terry’s first opened in 1982, and is now run by Terry’s son, Austin Yardley (pictured) who has worked at the cafe since he was 14

The triad of mushy peas, gravy and baked beans was so foul it would make even an Ambrosia rice pudding seem appetising 

The plate at the end of my experiment showed I had been defeated by this putrid and frankly sacrilegious addition to a fry-up. I should have ordered a full breakfast with black pudding and a fried slice all along

Then, just as I am convincing myself this was not such a bad idea after all, the grim reality of the horrific culinary situation hits me – and the depths of my stomach – as soon as I combine mushy peas and bacon.

The pairing of eggs and mushy peas is not quite as gruesome, a creamy yolk making this mouthful slightly more palatable.

Mushy peas and beans are great facilitators in their own right, allowing other ingredients to flourish. They are perfect with fish and chips, for instance. 

However, the trio of mushy peas, gravy and baked beans is so truly offensive, it would make a congealed Ambrosia rice pudding taste like a Michelin-level dessert personally made for you by Michel Roux.

Realising I have completely robbed myself of my own sanity by undertaking such a foolish task, I take comfort in a few mouthfuls of the bacon and beans that remain untarnished and admit defeat. 

It was an experiment that filled me with excitement at first but, on completion, left me a sense of nothing but self-loathing, excruciating abdominal pains and breath that smelt like I had taken part in a garlic eating contest for dessert. 

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