Gleddoch Butchers, Paisley – November 2017

Paisley is not even officially a city but Scotland's largest town harbours ambitious plans to use the town's internationally-significant collection of heritage and cultural assets to transform its future.

Gleddoch Butchers has invested in that future and their new shop is a shining example of the confidence that Paisley's profile can be given an international spotlight, create jobs, provide new opportunities for local business, and generate footfall for their town centre.

Father and son, Neil and Gavin Gordon have moved their business from premises in Penilee to a higher profile shop on a main thoroughfare. The business was established wholesaling steak slice, breakfast packs and chopped pork through van sales. Five years ago they saw an opportunity to produce their products themselves and by 2017 had decided that they had outgrown their first shop in Penilee.

Gavin explained:-

“The shop in Penilee was nice but we had a vision of something a bit more unique but with a traditional feel. I looked online at pictures of butchers shops not just in Scotland but in Northern Ireland. I knew the look I wanted and found HK Interiors online.

“Andy Hurst came up, worked out what we wanted and then worked with his team all the way through the project with us.”

The work that took place involved the transformation of an empty unit into a fully functioning butchers shop with two rear production areas with separate areas for cooked and raw product.

The shop fitting included installation of 12 metres of Criocabin counters with under storage, a 4.4metre multi deck all with LED lighting, Bizerba scales and re-branding.

The finished style of the shop incorporates modern grey bevelled metro tiles, stone wall effect tiles and a customer designed timber pelmet. The floor on the customers side was laid with grey wood-effect tiles with grey hygienic resin flooring in serving and rear production areas.

So in March 2017 Gleddoch Butchers opened in Glasgow Road and Gavin described how they have found things since the move:-

“We have been well received here and we are pleasantly surprised by just how well it is going. From the day we opened we knew that we were going to be busy.”

The shop employs 10 full time staff and sources it's beef and lamb from Paisley wholesalers John Scott Meats supplemented by JF Finlay in Wishaw. Pork is supplied by Robertson's of Ardrossan.

The new shop has a specially designed dry aging cabinet. It's a nice feature and it is used for all the steaks sold. All beef is hung for 20 days but steaks enjoy another 21 days dry aging.

There is a display of 12 different sausages out of a range of 36 including Toulouse, Cumberland, Posh Dogs, Chicken & Coriander and Spanish Chorizo. Moroccan Lamb Sausages are made by a real Moroccan member of staff, Brahim (right), whose father has a butchers' business in Rabat. Conjuring up the authentic taste from his homeland he uses coriander, cumin, ginger and harissa.

Brahim also makes a Moroccan Lamb burger to add to the more likely range of burgers that also extend to Steak with Cheese and Bacon and Beef burger with jalapeños and spring onions.

Pastries form a popular part of the product line even more so after the success of winning a gold award for traditional steak pies in the 2017 Scottish Craft Butcher awards. Pies are made by Robert (on left in picture) and the lids are left unfired so that customers experience the pleasure of freshly baked puff pastry. Gavin added:-

“The win has had a great effect to be honest. It feels like every second customer is taking a steak pie!”

Other pastries for sale in the multi deck include Chicken Rounds, Balti pies and Mince Rounds. Also on display are Ready Meals, ten to fifteen different varieties all offered at three for £10.

There are meat offers at three for £10 as well which appeal to the less experienced meat buyer although they tend to spend not only £10. Protein packs and Healthy Family Packs encourage bigger purchases.

The business still supplies its original market with van sales of thousands of packs weekly to convenience stores. This remains an important part of the business but everyone is really happy with the move to the new shop.

Gavin summed up the result of taking premises that housed HSS tool hire and taking on one of the three shop units that it became:-

“The reaction from customers makes the risk you take all worthwhile. People were stunned when they came in a first but they have quickly got accustomed to it.”

For the Paisley public perceptions of their local butcher have changed. A new sense of pride exists which remarkably parallels the aims of the bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 with its hopes to change perceptions of Paisley at home and abroad.

Gleddoch Butchers, like Paisley itself, wants to showcase everything it has to offer. The culture of shopping at a craft butcher has certainly been addressed and Gleddochs have created a lasting legacy.

All the Buddies hope now that Paisley 2021 can follow.

Attachments:

• GLEDDOCH_BUTCHERS_OCT_2017.pdf