“I know everything has come from source” City butchers sees rise in sales

With shoppers currently wary of supermarket ready-meals and food containing processed meat because of the national horsemeat scandal, owner Jamie Archer believes the benefits of trusted butchers are now being properly realised.

Mr Archer said: 'People know when they come into our shop that they are coming in to buy locally-sourced meat.

'This week we have sold out of our ready-made pies and meals because people know they are 100pc beef or lamb, or whatever meat it is they are buying.

'It is all about confidence for people at the moment.

'The horsemeat stuff has actually done us a lot of good in the shop, because people know where our meat comes from.

'If something says beef lasagne on the container, then you expect it to be beef, so people have lost complete confidence with supermarkets.

'There is always going to be that hardcore of people who shop at supermarkets because they don't mind, but I think this is going to convert people back to the high street.

'If trade continues like it is at the moment then I think we will be seeing more shops opening on the high street.'

The beef at Archer's is supplied by P.O. Almey & Sons of Tavistock Farm in Antingham, near North Walsham, while its pork comes from Blythburgh farm in Suffolk and its lamb from a supplier in Lincolnshire.

Mr Archer added: 'I pick out the beef every week. It comes in as a whole body so I know everything has come from source and when it comes to making ready-meals we don't just throw anything in there, we take out all the gristle – not all the fat because you need a little of that for high quality.

'We have control of the whole process, so if there is anything wrong with it then we will know why.

'I've also had a letter from the abattoir where our beef comes from to say they have never had any horse there or killed there, which gives us confidence as well.'

For more information about Archer's, go to www.archersbutchers.com