Galloway Quality Meats

In 2004, the Houliston family transformed this former bakers' shop into a smart, clean and fresh butchers' shop. The walls were tiled with a burgundy tile that gives a classy look and a lengthy refrigerated display cabinet provides the stage for a vast array of freshly cut product. Centrally situated it trades on the promise of extremely competitively priced meat.

There are always special offers and these are changed with regularity. There are Meal Deals too along with a range of innovative kitchen ready products. For the senior citizens there's a 10% discount on a Tuesday

Keith Houliston established the business over 30 years ago, after he spotted an opportunity as he travelled around selling frozen gateaux, chips and other frozen foods. The former Queen of the South footballer who had represented Scotland as an amateur set up his first premises in Kingholm Quay near Dumfries and after further developing trade as a concessionary within Kwik Save, moved into English Street.

Keith was a successful local businessman and a director at Queen of the South FC before Motor Neuron Disease sadly claimed him in 2008. His family own the Nith Hotel at Glencaple which is still run by his wife, Joan, and youngest daughter, Jennifer.

The butchers' shop is the retail arm though of what has grown into a large wholesale and catering butchers – Galloway Food Service.

25 people are employed at their unit on the Lochside Industrial Estate and the volume generated by their sales creates fantastic purchasing power that the retail shop greatly benefits from. Pies are made at the factory. The meat is prepared there as well and fresh product is delivered to the shop daily.
All the meat is sourced from the UK, local lamb is supplied through Border Meats at Lockerbie and venison from Barony at Parkgate just north of the town. Lorne Sausage have been made into a speciality with squares of Pork and Leek, Beef and Sweet Chilli, Beef and Spring Onion and Beef and Haggis to choose from.

Chicken fillets are made into Chicken Kievs, Highland Chicken and Italian Chicken (right) when a cheese filling is wrapped with smoked bacon in a tomato marinade. Unit pricing is a big advantage here where customers know just how much they are going to spend.

At Galloway Quality Meats there's a gluten free range, a variety of burgers, home made lasagne and even Sweet Chilli Beef Olives. Cumberland Sausages sell well but Pork Sausages are the overall favourite.

The Food Service business supplies the shop with popular frozen foods packs with the likes of Chicken Goujons, Chicken Fillet burgers, breaded Haddock and the delightful Smoked Cod, Crispy Bacon and Brie Fishcakes.

A Christmas Club is operated and £30 meat hampers were very popular over the Festive period. A delivery service complements the shop's offers as Galloway Quality Meats reaches out to the surrounding area.

Open from 8.00am to 5.30pm six days per week, choice of meal ideas is endless in English Street, good value is unquestionable but the service is yet another attribute, its super friendly and obliging staff. Melissa, the founders' daughter is now the business' Commercial Manager and she helps out in the shop when required.

Behind the counter Sandy, Tracy, Bobby and Davie look after the customers and that has never changed with those last three amassing 45 years service amongst them. The business' Butchery Manager is Tom Steele and he is in charge of the buying and supplies.

Dumfries, the Queen of the South, has numerous claims to fame with renowned Scots like Robert the Bruce and Robert Burns included in its rich history. There are local attractions that draw visitors from far and wide but for the locals Galloway Quality Meats is a major attraction well worth regular trips.