Trading conditions for independent butchers have never been tougher – with many people now cutting down on meat or giving it up altogether. Only thirty years ago, Ruddington still had three thriving butchers’ shops but, in more recent times, that’s changed.
Indeed our village was without any butcher at all for almost a year in 2010 after the legendary David Oliver retired and his former assistant Robert Warner was unable to continue his legacy. However the historic shop at 15, Church Street sprang back into life as Ruddington Village Butchers under the ownership of Stewart White in April 2011 – alongside his cheery shop manager Shane Ginty – revitalising and modernising the village business with great success. Shane then took over the shop on his own in February 2015 when Stewart moved to Merseyside to get married.
Since then a steady decline in footfall in our village centre – which was made worse by our banks shutting and then the sudden loss of Thomas’s Greengrocers last Easter – has left Shane’s business on the brink of closure on three occasions over the past eighteen months. Each time villagers have rallied around – but some have also commented on social media that their working hours and busy lives make it difficult for them to use his shop.
“Quite a few people have said they can’t get into the shop Monday to Saturday because of work and family commitments but would have time on Sunday” explains Shane. “So I asked the customers on Facebook what they thought? It was a unanimous “yes” from people that opening Sunday would a a good idea.”
Consequently, he has decided to implement new opening hours with immediate effect – which will also see his shop staying open a little later on Saturdays, as shown on the revised times in the photograph.
He hopes the bold move will make his unique and valued business sustainable again: “People go out for a Sunday stroll, to buy a paper, to go to church – and village cafés and pubs are open. Parking’s easier, too!” says Shane.
Indeed, with now seven and a half thousand residents in our village and thousands more working here, it’s very hard to imagine there aren’t still enough carnivores and dairy lovers around to allow Ruddington Village Butchers not only to survive but also prosper?!
“I will now be closing on Tuesdays, because Tuesday is a really quiet day anyway” points out Shane. “More and more people are getting their food shopping only at the weekend these days. If we give them this extra day at the weekend I think it will benefit many people – with a choice of fresh, quality meats for the Sunday roast!”
And as the festive season draws near? “I’m starting to take Christmas orders now, too!”
You can read more about Shane and Ruddington Village Butchers >>HERE<<.
