UNITED KINGDOM.
DEVON BUTCHER.
How nice to hear of a success story, in the times of meat plants closing down and the greenies blaming global warming, on the meat and farming industries.
Axminster in Devon, is very special to my family as my grandfather worked as a slaughterman at Charlie Snell’s Abattoir in Chard, just s few miles up the road.
My fathers Mentor George Downs, who was the south of England manager for the Vestey Organization, was the son of the only Lady butcher in England, who managed an Eastman’s butchers shop for Vestey’s In Axminster.
Then I come across the web page of Mr & Mrs Vinning in Axminster, with their butchery business, www.completemeats.co.uk which is an inspiration to anyone in the industry.
Starting out with one shop 20 years ago, they now have three high class butchers shops in Honiton, Chard and Axminster.
They also have a processing plant that employs 30 staff, that make small-goods, cure bacon, make sausages and puddings and even bake their own meat pies.
Like all good old fashioned butchers, they buy their own live animals and have them slaughtered, taking the carcass’s back to their plant for cutting.
The beef is aged for 21 days from time of slaughter to sale, which is the secret of tender beef and not often adhered to these days.
Mr Vining did a three year course at the Smithfield College, for the Institute of Meat Diploma.
My father did his at the Exeter Technical College 25 miles from Axminster in 1963, while working as a slaughterman in mid Devon.
Complete Meats have internet shopping and a wholesale and retail catering butchery, supplying restaurants and hotels which compliments their high class retail shops.
The company has one many awards for sausages and black puddings, most recently the national award for black puddings from the British Pig Executive annual awards.
So take a look at the web page www.completemeats.co.uk. And learn the difference between a butcher and a Master Butcher
