Best Practice Visit to Northern Ireland

This would follow on from the Meat Skills Northern Ireland Finals at Templepatrick on Sunday 6th September.

Expressions of interest are requested now. We have three names currently and would have to limit total to 12. If you want to go please tell us soon. None of the shops have yet been asked but we will do that once we know that there is interest confirmed.

The idea would be to meet at the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick on the Monday morning at 10.00am. That way allows an option for anyone wishing to go out on the Sunday either to see the show or to golf. Members book their own flights.

Monday 7th September 2009

8.15 a.m.
Easyjet flights from Glasgow and Edinburgh arriving at 08.00 and 07.45 at Belfast International Airport respectively. Courtesy coach takes you to Hilton Hotel and Country Club, Templepatrick.

10.00 a.m. Sharp
Minibus collects party at the Hotel and Country Club Templepatrick. We leave from the Hotel at 10am sharp, to go to McAtamenys in Ballymena. A very smart shop that has been knocked down and rebuilt to deal with impressive ready prepared foods business.

12 noon
Depart and return to Templepatrick (it's not far).

2.30pm
The non golfers would go on to visit another shop in Moira.
McCartney's of Moira —- this shop has been in the McCartney family for around one hundred and fifty years, and is now in the hands of the fifth & sixth generations, Gordon, George and Judith. The shop is well known for it's variety of sausages.

All would come together to eat at the Hilton in the evening.

Tuesday 8th September
On the Tuesday leave Hilton Hotel; visit Hunters in Limavady. Smart butchers and deli. Ian Hunter lived in Glasgow as a student and worked for a number of years in industry as a scientist, before returning to the butchery business. Ian is one of the Elite Butchers Association.

The shop won the title of “Deli of the year 2001″ and was runner up in 2002. We will have the opportunity to try some of Ian's fine Irish Cheeses, maybe with a glass or two of a nice wine.

Then golfers go to play Roe Valley at the Radisson Resort Hotel at Limavady. Some Irish butchers would join the Scots for the golf. Non golfers would visit another shop at Letterkenny in the Republic and return to the Radisson where everyone would dine together. Overnight at the Radisson.

McGee's Butcher, Letterkenny
Unit 29, Letterkenny Shopping Centre, Co Donegal 074 9176567

Wednesday 9th September
O'Kane brothers Michael and Kieran run a very successful shop in this rural village, and are known far and wide for their products and service. They won the 2003 Supreme Champion of the Institute of Meat Sausage and Small Goods competition. In 2008 they were finalists in the Northern Ireland Butchers Shop of the Year.

After visiting the O'Kanes, we will head for Castlerock to deposit the golfers, those non golfers on the evening flights (21.40 and 20.55) will visit the Bushmills Distillery.

Those wanting home for the Scotland v Holland World Cup match will be delivered to Belfast International in time to catch the 16:00 flight to Glasgow (there is not an afternoon flight to Edinburgh that day).

Remained dine and fly back to Glasgow 21:40 or Edinburgh 20:55.

Please let me know if you are interested
regards

Douglas Scott
Chief Executive
Scottish Federation of Meat Traders Assocs
8/10 Needless Road
Perth
PH2 0JW
Tel: 01738 637472, Fax: 01738 441059
Mobile: 0795 784 2299