Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Meating with prime success

Sue Carr
30/11/2005

METTRICK'S butchers has scooped top prize at Radio Four's Food and Farming Awards.

The Glossop family butchers added another award to their collection after picking up the prize for Best Local Food Retailer.

The awards were judged by a host of top chefs including Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay and were presented at a special ceremony in Birmingham.

John Mettrick, owner of the High Street shop, said: "We are absolutely delighted. We weren't confident at all because it was the most-entered category. We were up against things like a farmers' market outside the Millenium Stadium and one of the biggest supermarkets selling local produce in Sussex.

"I think the thing that swung it for us was the really close relationship between us and the farmers who supply our meat.

"There are only three people involved in the food chain - us, the farmer and the customer - so people know exactly where it's coming from."

The awards dinner - where celebrity chefs sampled Mettrick's famous High Peak Lamb - will be broadcast on Radio Four's Food Programme on Sunday.

John added: "Some of our customers put us forward, and I think that is the nicest thing. It's not often you get your business recommended on national radio.

"It will be busy, but we'll be making sure our local customers are the first to get what they want for Christmas."

To shop online visit www.mettricksbutchers.co.uk.