As business rates rise, and shopping trends change, the fate of London's butchers shops are at risk.
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A family butcher’s shop in Chapel Market is set to close after 40 years, with owners blaming rising costs and changing shopping trends.
As business rates rise, and shopping trends change, the fate of London’s butchers shops are at risk.
London’s markets are often seen as the cornerstone of the capital’s shopping. But with a butcher’s shop previously seen as an everyday essential for a family’s food shop, it seems these days are over.
Raymond has been working at Chapel Market for almost half a decade now, but is set to close his meat shop, the last on the street, due to rising costs and changes in the ways people shop.
A pressing issue for him has been the rise of super markets, with the average consumer now getting all their produce from their local branch.
He cites this as the main reason for his closure, claiming that people would be better off if they ate meat from a butchers, due to its fresher nature.
Catherine Chambers of LondonMarket.net finds these trends worrying, believing that more needs to be done to protect the markets.
“Don’t let the money man destroy the markets,” she said.
“London’s markets are an irresistible lure to tourists and locals alike. Part of London’s heritage for centuries, street markets are a vital ingredient of London culture. But with the increasing threat of re-development from big business, the capital’s long-established haggling haunts are in danger of being knocked out of the picture”.
With Raymond’s shop still set to close however, he hopes to use a more cost-effective stall to sell his meat, but hopes that people will re-connect with their local butchers before its too late for the industry as a whole.
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HeadlineChapel Market butcher’s set to close after 40 years, as high street trends change
Short Headline40-year-old family butcher's to close
StandfirstAfter nearly half a decade at Chapel Market, the last standing butchers is about to close.
A family butcher’s shop in Chapel Market is set to close after 40 years, with owners blaming rising costs and changing shopping trends.
As business rates rise, and shopping trends change, the fate of London’s butchers shops are at risk.
London’s markets are often seen as the cornerstone of the capital’s shopping. But with a butcher’s shop previously seen as an everyday essential for a family’s food shop, it seems these days are over.
Raymond has been working at Chapel Market for almost half a decade now, but is set to close his meat shop, the last on the street, due to rising costs and changes in the ways people shop.
A pressing issue for him has been the rise of super markets, with the average consumer now getting all their produce from their local branch.
He cites this as the main reason for his closure, claiming that people would be better off if they ate meat from a butchers, due to its fresher nature.
Catherine Chambers of LondonMarket.net finds these trends worrying, believing that more needs to be done to protect the markets.
“Don’t let the money man destroy the markets,” she said.
“London’s markets are an irresistible lure to tourists and locals alike. Part of London’s heritage for centuries, street markets are a vital ingredient of London culture. But with the increasing threat of re-development from big business, the capital’s long-established haggling haunts are in danger of being knocked out of the picture”.
With Raymond’s shop still set to close however, he hopes to use a more cost-effective stall to sell his meat, but hopes that people will re-connect with their local butchers before its too late for the industry as a whole.
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