Butcher shops

[amethyst]

I remember butcher shops where you always glanced in the window at the meats they had,before buying.Sausages were hung on metal hooks,Lamb pork beef joints.They had those white cards and the prices were always in red marker pens and the metal thing were stuck into the meats.There was always a queue.The men wore white aprons a straw hat.Behind the counter you could see those butchers wooden blocks were they would chop up the meat with the cleavers.You could get home made faggots.My mum and Aunt would always buy from the same butchers once a week on a saturday morning.
Now it is too easy to buy from the supermarket.Cant remember when I last bought from an independent shop,30 odd years ago probably

[marc]

Re: Butcher shops

Woodley's, they had a shop in Hannah Street Porth. My mother used to buy her meat from there for many years. It's long gone now. They also used to deliver meat to the home. I well remember sawdust on the floor of the shop.

[angliaknight]

Re: Butcher shops

Oh yes the sawdust.

[darren]

Re: Butcher shops

Ive never been in a butchers shop in my life.
But i always feel the best place to get meat is in a butchers as they are specialists in meat products.

Thats why im surprised most butchers shops in my town are still around from when i was a kid.
And any that have shut was due to retirement not because the shop didnt do enough trade to stay alive.

i remember butcher shops where you always glanced in the window at the meats they had,before buying.sausages were hung on metal hooks,lamb pork beef joints.they had those white cards and the prices were always in red marker pens and the metal thing were stuck into the meats.there was always a queue.the men wore white aprons a straw hat.behind the counter you could see those butchers wooden blocks were they would chop up the meat with the cleavers.you could get home made faggots.my mum and aunt would always buy from the same butchers once a week on a saturday morning.
Now it is too easy to buy from the supermarket.cant remember when i last bought from an independent shop,30 odd years ago probably

[zabadak]

Re: Butcher shops

For some reason, when I was a man-cub, our local butcher's had a 7" record for sale (or possibly as a competition prize), displyed on a stand on the counter...

[amethyst]

Re: Butcher shops

Woodley's, they had a shop in Hannah Street Porth. My mother used to buy her meat from there for many years. It's long gone now. They also used to deliver meat to the home. I well remember sawdust on the floor of the shop.

I think the one my mum & Aunt went to was Woodleys and yes there was sawdust on the floor

[DSCOMAN]

Re: Butcher shops

Ah yes...the big old table with chopping top - dented - to let the blood run off?
Definitely sawdust to soak up the blood.....a massive walk in freezer ......chopping axes and knives hanging up on hooks....'scraps' for soup/stew....wrapping paper torn off the hook....ox hearts....mincing machine with wooden push down tool......lads on bikes with basket in front to deliver....rags to wipe hands before taking money...always red faced /ruddy complexion butchers....kidneys.....slightly blood stained aprons ------nightmares !!;-)

[Niggit]

Re: Butcher shops

Gutted rabbits hanging up by their hind feet...

[Pussywillow]

Re: Butcher shops

I can see Mr Flint in Wokingham's buthers even now, in his blue and white striped apron with his cheeky chappie manner.

And - Angliaknight - do you remember THAT smell of sawdust and blood ?

[80sChav]

Re: Butcher shops

I remember butcher shops where you always glanced in the window at the meats they had,before buying.Sausages were hung on metal hooks,Lamb pork beef joints.They had those white cards and the prices were always in red marker pens and the metal thing were stuck into the meats.There was always a queue.The men wore white aprons a straw hat.Behind the counter you could see those butchers wooden blocks were they would chop up the meat with the cleavers.You could get home made faggots.My mum and Aunt would always buy from the same butchers once a week on a saturday morning.
Now it is too easy to buy from the supermarket.Cant remember when I last bought from an independent shop,30 odd years ago probably

Yeah hanging the Meat in the Window was extremely dangerous for making people ill. I recall relatives saying about a Local Butchers "oh he is a great Butchers and his meat is quality" but I thought how can it be when his blinds was only rolled up at the top!

Not as I am being over the top but hygiene regulations might different today but back in those day's (md-late 1990s) I did a lot of Food Hygiene Courses (a couple in a row at least) and you never forget certain things like this 9though agreed things may-be different these day's possibly)

Though par this one-off Butcher's Shop I'd never ever touch re; his meats - I knew many "back in the day" through living in a Town that had many outlying smaller towns/Villages that made such Butcher's Shop's amongst other Shop's worth visiting! Just like Fruit and Veg Shop's it is very sad they have mainly ended due to Supermarkets (unless like where I live now) we still have a great Market with many Butchers! Sad times indeed

80sChav

[darren]

Re: Butcher shops

8o's chav in a way i can imagine meat hanging in the shop window making people ill and the sun might get at it too.
Meat goes off quick.

We have 3 or 4 butchers shops in my town theyve been here as long as i have from memory.
Its good to see specialist shops survive.

When i first saw meat hanging like that it was a shock as id not seen anything like that before.

[Richard1978]

Re: Butcher shops

My Mum still uses a traditional shop in Marple I can remember being taken into when I was young.

[Littlelen]

Re: Butcher shops

I can remember the smell making me sick. There was one in Tynemouth which (I think) is a small boots chemist now. I might have the wrong unit but it was either that or the one next door. I used to get wrong for touching the sawdust or sliding it around with my shoes but when you're about 2 feet tall and surrounded by animal carcasses and whittering women it's hardly surprising you get up to mischief

[DSCOMAN]

Re: Butcher shops

littlelen yes kicking/sliding the sawdust into 'mountains' on the floor ha ha

[George 1978]

Re: Butcher shops

I remember Matthews Butchers that I believe had branches all over the country. I used to assume as a youngster that because of the similar name and the connection with the poultry industry that they were connected to Bernard Matthews.

A local branch got into hot water back in the mid 1980s when they had employed a 15 year old lad who had not officially left school at the time.

Other butchers shops I can think of at that time was Dewhurst's (that most people remember) and Walter Smith's.