STAINDROP’S only butcher has described how heart wrenching it has been to tell villagers he is moving shop
Simon and Amanda Hill, of Simon’s Butchers, have been running the shop for six years.
But they say it has become too small for the thriving business and have been forced to find new premises in Bishop Auckland.
Mr Hill said: “We are just moving and we are trying not to leave the village. Unfortunately, we outgrew the shop the best part of three years ago. I looked at every potential property but unfortunately there is nothing adequate for our purposes.
“Our six years in Staindrop have been wonderful – the village has been very good to us.”
He repaid the support and kindness of the people of the village during the Covid-19 lockdowns by offering deliveries and getting hard-to-find items for customers. Mr Hill said: “A lot of people were baking and couldn’t get hold of flour. We also tried to put smiles on people’s faces with our comics in the window.
“It was very difficult to break the news to people that we are moving. But if people can’t get to us [in Bishop Auckland], hopefully we can get to them.”
The business plans to make deliveries in the village two or three times a week, and it will continue to make its usual deliveries to customers in Gainford, Ingleton and Cockfield.
Also moving are fellow butcher Sandy Dempster and trainee Rob Bell. Mr Hill and Mr Dempster have been working together for many years, both having worked at Peat’s Butchers in Barnard Castle, where Mr Dempster was the manager, as well as at Cross Lanes Organic Farm Shop.
Mr Dempster said: “People are sad we are going but they understand why.”
The shop in Staindrop will close on Saturday, February 19, and the new corner shop on the intersection of Princes and Newgate streets, in Bishop Auckland, will open on Monday, February 28.
