A family-owned butcher’s shop is celebrating 20 years of business, thanks to the support of the local community and quality local produce.
N&J Dowding Family Butchers in Appleby opened their first shop at 2 Boroughgate at the entrance to the Public Hall as many traditional butcher’s shops were closing across the country.
According to figures compiled by the Office of National Statistics and published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), there are around 6,000 independent retail butchers in the UK, a 60 per cent reduction over the past 25 years. However, N&J Dowding Family Butchers have bucked the trend.
Michael Dowding said: “My parents, Norman and Jean, started the business in 2002, taking over George Cairns’ shop.
“Being in Appleby, we are well supported by the local community. People in Appleby support local businesses and, for that, we are very grateful.”
And other businesses in the Eden Valley promote the produce the Dowdings family offer.
The cafes and restaurants they supply with meat proudly promote they source their produce from Dowdings on their menus.
Michael said: “We have a lot of visitors who come to buy their meat to take home with them. Often people have been in the local cafes and restaurants and then come to buy our meat because they have enjoyed it so much. Many live in cities where they no longer have a traditional family butcher’s shop.
“We also provided a mobile butchers to surrounding villages around Appleby, which we have also done for the last 20 years. This was greatly appreciated by our customers during lockdown.”
Offering a quality, local service is at the heart of the Dowdings’ business.
Michael added: “We like to support other local producers too, keeping everything as local as possible.”
They stock eggs from Brambling Howe Farm at Watermillock and relishes from Made by Sarah in Appleby and Wild & Fruitful, of Keswick.
Michael added: “Being situated in a good stock area, we have great quality meat from local farms. This allows us to buy good quality animals. We know how they have been raised and can pick the animals in the field and pen.
“They go to local slaughterhouses which reduces the stress on the animals, reduces the food miles and reduces the carbon footprint of our meat — plus we are supporting our local family farmers. Most of our beef comes from Low Bank End in Appleby and our lamb from Terry’s Farm at Ormside.
“We couldn’t be better located for finding quality meat and the other food we stock.
Location is one key to the success of the business — with access to good quality local food and a community which appreciates the service, knowledge and expertise of traditional butchers.
“And being a family-run business has helped in a time of staff shortages for retail businesses.
Michael and his father Norman both trained as butchers with TM Ewbank butchers in Appleby. And Dowdings renovated the old Ewbank shop and moved into the 12 Boroughgate premises in 2012.
Michael added: “My sister, Shirley Shepherd, also works here alongside my parents — we are a real family business which is a real bonus when it is so hard to find staff.
“I don’t know if my girls will want to continue the business. At five and nine years old they won’t be able to work in a butchers until they are 16 years old. But who knows, they could be the third generation of the family to run the business.”
