Take a butcher's at this: special delivery for carnivores

By Susanna Wilkey

BUTCHERLESS residents in Hampstead will soon be offered a meaty delivery service from a top-notch Marylebone butchers.

Hampstead's last independent butcher Joseph Steele retired in January after nearly 40 years of trade in Flask Walk.

Since then, people have been forced to shop at supermarkets for their steaks, chops and joints.

Unhappy with the lack of personal service, they have been inundating the Ginger Pig in Marylebone with emails and phone calls asking the butchers to open a shop in Hampstead.

This is not possible at the moment. But the shopkeepers from Moxom Street have offered residents the next best thing. A van will stop at homes six days a week from next month.

Ginger Pig manager Patrice Lardon said: "We understand it is not exactly what people wanted but we thought it was better than nothing and we are going to do the best we can.

"The people were really upset there was no butcher in Hampstead after Steele's closed down.

"This is a farmers' butcher so we do not always have everything. But we use three British farms in North Yorkshire and sell top quality beef, pork and lamb.

"We do not want people to speak to an answering machine - so a butcher is going to answer the phone and speak to customers and advise them and tell them which products we have.

"Their meat will be delivered the next day. We know where all our meat comes from and customers can ask for what they want.

"We have had positive responses to the idea of the delivery service and we are hoping it will be successful.

"If it works, we are going to recruit more butchers and drivers to be able to continue the same quality service to a larger area."

After Steele's closed, C P Plus parking moved into the shop. But it currently lies empty.

The plan is to lease it as a shop in the future with flats above.

Chairwoman of the traders' group NW3Hampstead, Linda Chung, was glad to hear a butcher's service would be returning to Hampstead.

She said: "I think it is wonderful if it provides a really good service.

"Obviously the butcher moved out and people who like their fresh meat would welcome a service like this one.

"It is a great idea because the Ginger Pig's reputation is good regarding the quality of meat and the provenance which is important to people. They want to know where their food comes from.

"What would be even nicer is if the Ginger Pig considered coming to set up shop in Hampstead. We would definitely welcome that."

The Ginger Pig is looking for any comments that would help it tailor its services to Hampstead people. Anyone with ideas should email gingerpig@btconnect.com.

susanna.wilkey@hamhigh.co.uk