United Kingdom-Butcher retires after 50 years.

UNITED KINGDOM-BUTCHER RETIRES AFTER 50 YEARS IN THE SHOP.

An Eden butcher who has spent more than 50 years working in the trade has announced his retirement.

Nick Bellas, aged 63, of Howard Street, Penrith, has now hung up his meat cleaver and apron, but the butchery business, based in Shap’s Main Street, will be continued by his son, Neil.

Born in Penrith in 1946, Mr. Bellas attended the town’s Boys’ National and then Tynefield schools. After leaving school aged 15 he went into the butchery trade, having begun at the age of 11 as an errand boy. He started out working with Tony Clark, helping with van deliveries for H. Clark & Sons butchers.

"On that job I used to ride shotgun in the van, knocked on people’s doors and carried shopping in," said Mr. Bellas, who then graduated to delivering meat orders on an old-fashioned bike which had a basket on the front.

Going into the business full-time aged 15, he got a job at the Devonshire Street butcher’s shop. He stayed there until the age of 25 when he left to work at Eggleston’s butchers at Kirkby Thore with Mel Raynor. They wanted to take that business over, but after a year, the opportunity arose to take over another butcher’s premises, located in Main Street, Shap.

In partnership with Mr. Raynor, the pair set up on their own in 1971 and also began operating a travelling butcher’s shop. After four years, an expansion took place and they converted the premises next door in order to make a bigger shop.

After about 18 years, Mr. Bellas bought Mr. Raynor out. He now feels the time is right to retire after about 50 years in the trade.

The business, which sells locally produced meat bought at Penrith auction mart, is going to be continued by his eldest son, Neil, along with long-serving employees David Lightburn and John Wilson, plus the most recent recruit, Neil Carson.