Geoff's at the end of the loin!
For 35 years Hipperholme butcher Geoffrey Allen has been meeting the needs of his loyal customers.
But now he is hanging up his knives and handing over his striped apron to fellow butcher Brian Powe, who is taking over his well-known shop at Denholmegate Road.
"I get up every morning at 4.30 to go to the meat suppliers so you could say I'm looking forward to a bit of a rest," he said.
Geoffrey, now 62, has been in the meat trade since he was 14 when he got a Saturday job at Clifford Beaumont's in Halifax Road. When he left school he served his apprenticeship there before moving on to Jack Willman's shop in Shelf.
"Then when I was 27, the opportunity came to take over this shop in my own right and I've been here ever since. I've had fantastic customers and it's been a pleasure coming to work. I've only had three days off sick in more than 30 years.
"I've had many years of friendship and banter with my customers. People tell me all sorts of things and we always have a good laugh. It has been a pleasure coming to work here."
Geoffrey prides himself on running a traditional business where quality and customer service are the main aims. In his opinion, shoppers are becoming more willing to source good local produce instead of relying on the supermarket for all their needs.
"People come here because they know they will be able to get advice on which cut of meat to buy, how much to buy and how to make it go a bit further. They know the meat will be fresh and tasty. My meat comes from the abattoir at Jagger Green so it is locally-sourced and that is important."
There have been changes in the industry since Geoffrey started out and successive food scares have made life difficult for food producers in recent years but he says his business has remained relatively unaffected.
"I think it's because people have come to trust me and they know I am reliable," he said. Some of his regular customers travel from as far afield as Triangle and Bradford to stock up on meat supplies. "People move away from the immediate area but they still tend to come back here for their meat," he said.
Geoffrey is married to Diana and the couple live in Northowram. They have two daughters and twin granddaughters, Isabel and Grace, aged three. "I'm looking forward to spending more time with the two girls – I'm going to be their entertainments manager!" he said.
Though Christmas turkeys give a seasonal boost to Geoffrey's takings, his most popular seller is traditional Yorkshire beef. "Beef always does well for us. You can always tell when a new recipe is being promoted by a TV chef because people come in asking for the meat so they can try it at home but they often go back to good old beef."
Geoffrey is delighted that he has been able to secure the future of his butcher's shop. "I was determined it was going to stay as a butcher's shop. It was a butcher's shop when I started here and it was important to me to carry on that tradition. I know Brian will do a fine job.
"The shop has been part of my life for so long. When I'm not open for customers, I'm cleaning the premises or doing the books. The only break I allow myself is a holiday once a year when I close the shop.
"Things have changed in the industry over the years – for instance there have been changes in the cuts of meat – but we are a good, old-fashioned butcher's shop. We have had whole families coming here for their meat and I am going to miss the banter with my customers."
Unsurprisingly Geoffrey eats meat every day and he sees no reason to stop once he has retired. "You really can't beat a nice piece of Yorkshire beef," he said.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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