It’s a sad thing, but this quaint old building, relic of a bygone era, is now defunct. It belonged to the local butcher, who carried on his trade here for as long as I can remember, but who has now retired.
He wanted to bulldoze it. Can you believe it? Here’s the official notice of planning permission sought -
You see, if you want to do anything much to a building within a conservation area in dear old Blighty, then you must ask first and the planning committee will decide, sometimes with the help of local residents, if it should be allowed or not. The notice must be displayed close to the building for a certain length of time to give people the chance to object. And it seems they did.
Personally, I’m glad the application was rebuffed.
It’s a building with a lot of character, as you can see – I don’t know what it was originally, or even if it was built as a butcher’s shop – it may well have been, back in the 18th century. Now, of course, it’s a liability because it’s expensive to repair, and yes, it’s crumbling a tad. But it’s sad to see the windows blank and bereft of the notices that always used to be there.
This is the very shop I used to walk to with our first dog, Jim. This is where I bought the minced beef which he later stole from the saucepan as it was cooking! Bless him, he was a good dog, and usually perfectly well behaved. This was one of his few serious breaches of etiquette.
Peeping inside – oh, alright, blatantly rubbernecking, with my camera butted up against the glass – the walls are a beautiful bright blue.
Old-fashioned it certainly was – see the bull’s horns up there near the ceiling? I’m surprised that the Health and Safety Executive allowed it, but there they hung. And look! The old bacon slicer is still there!  However, with so much taken out and the poor, barren chiller cabinet all bent out of shape it all looks a bit bleak, doesn’t it?  Especially since we can see right through to the back room … and there’s nothing there, the cupboards are bare.
This is the front of the shop in better days
At this point it was closed for a family event – I don’t think it was a birthday, so perhaps a bereavement – which just shows what an old-style family business this was. Bolted and barred on a week-day with nothing but a handwritten notice of apology on the door? Beyond belief for a modern High Street shop, no? But in a village, a little one-man band can, and must do it.
Kind of sad that one of the ads is for a ‘bygones‘ fair, don’t you think?
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A great old heritage building.
Karen´s last [type] ..Burra Homestead
I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or what…but it’s funny that I should stumble upon this post and upon reading, I notice the butcher’s shop was in Peterborough…that’s where my wife used to live before she came to the US!
I’ll have to ask her if she knew where this was!
This is a sad reminder of the hard times everyone is facing.
Andy´s last [type] ..BLISSFUL MEMORIES
We just don’t have an old fashioned Butcher Shop.. Everything so pre-packaged.
Years ago, we had a butcher in a local meat store that would cut a pocket in a thick pork chop so I could fill it with stuffing… Oh my was that delicious.
Wanda´s last [type] ..ABC WEDNESDAY ~LETTER "B"
I love old BUILDINGS; most of them do have a lot of character.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
Roger Green´s last [type] ..The Lydster, Part 88: Dead Ant
Oh it’s ‘my’ butcher’shop! The one I painted from your blog, I mean. How could they do that!! It is such a pretty building. Of course if I was sales driven I would try to market my painting there — but I’m not. But I will cherish that painting all the more.
Old gives way to the new.. However I wish it is not always the case.
Pheno, ABC Wednesday Team
Pheno menon´s last [type] ..Day 136 – Bullseye
A sad story – soon you’ll have to buy everything from the supermarkets!
Margaret @ BooksPlease´s last [type] ..B is for British Writers Since 1945
It’s a lovely property, you’d think some young renovator would love turning it into a rather quaint home, bet it would be quite central and cozy.
Baino´s last [type] ..I’m Moving On
may be you buy over the butcher shop
ann nz´s last [type] ..ABC Wednesday: B for baskets
My uncle was a butcher of the old-fashioned sort and I have fond memories of working in his shop during the school holidays. We shall never see their like again!
Shooting Parrots´s last [type] ..B is for Bo-Kaap and Bondi the Bronzed British Bulldog
Karen – It is, isn’t it? They CAN’T knock it down!!
Andy – Amazing! We’re very close to Peterborough, but we’re in one of the villages – still governed by Peterborough City Council for planning etc though.
Wanda – Yes, this guy would have done that for you, too.
Roger Green – Me too. Almost always they have so much more character than the modern ones.
Chris J – Yes, it is!! How very dare they! I’m so glad you painted it when you did.
Pheno Menon – Luckily, sometimes the new can be good, too. We have a good farmers’ collective butchers in a nearby village, and they do free range, ethical meat!
Margaret@Books Please – No, there are other small butchers around here, just not in the village.
Baino – It is – I have visions of a small craft collective… Hmm. That would be fun!
AnnNZ – Hah! It’s a thought …
Shooting Parrots – Several of my ancestors were butchers, too. The 18th century pictures of the meat hanging outside the shops exposed to flies etc makes you cringe, but people ate it and lived, didn’t they?
Hi Jay! haven’t been by here in ages-how are you?
I do hope they never bulldoze this beautiful little building, it really is lovely.
It is interesting that the owner wants to do it though-what could possibly be his reason, if any?
Lily´s last [type] ..montauk bookshop
Lily – Hi Lily, I’m good, thanks!
The reason is that he lives behind it and wants to make room for more car parking space, I think.
Love the textures and character of the Butcher Building.
I really hate to see old buildings disappear because of “progress”
Great information Jay. Thanks for sharing.
photowannabe´s last [type] ..ABC WEDNESDAY LETTER " B "
I rue the loss of our bits of history, the things that show we’ve been around for awhile. Progress is what it is, but sometimes it’s not a good thing.
Carol´s last [type] ..As I Sit With my Coffee. . .
Hey Jay – I’m really glad they haven’t bulldozed it – I really LIKED that building!
And I love the pic of the front with Sid in reflection!! Nice shot!
Wonderful memories of bygone days. Loved reading your memories of the place. And you *peep* like I do.
Lisa´s last [type] ..B is for Bible
BRA-VA, Jay!!!!!
*and notice I used a B word – HA!
Love the picture of that room with the blue walls!
X
Ron´s last [type] ..115 Degrees In The Shade
Photowannabe – That’s how I feel; it’s the textures, colours, etc that make it what it is. And also the fact that it isn’t a house, and almost certainly never was.
Carol – Exactly – it’s a little bit of history. People are very keen to save beautiful, historical houses, but they sometimes forget about utility buildings. Luckily, we have a few round here. There is a protected dovecote, a small lock-up jail, and hopefully now, this!
Jeannine – Me too!
I didn’t plan to get Sid in shot, but he has a way of making that happen. :p
Lisa – I do! I try only to peep where a peep won’t cause offence, either when a property is empty, or when a shop is either closed, or very public. Closed shops are a dream!
Ron – Yes! Well done! And I also notice you used the correct form of ‘bravo’ .. but of course you would.
you are the QUEEN of alphabetical posts!
meleah rebeccah´s last [type] ..Woman Verses Food: Attack Of The Killer Lettuce.
Meleah – Why, thank you! I do my best – but you know, there are some pretty good ABC-ers out there! Maybe you should try it too!
Not a bone to be bought. Boo.
Jenny the Pirate´s last [type] ..Chico, don’t be discouraged. Deo Vindice!