22nd February 12 
Butcher Peter retires after 50 years
A LONGTOWN butcher has hung up his cleaver after more than 50 years behind the counter.
Peter Jefferson was saddened to see family firm John R Jefferson close its doors behind him, but is now focusing on a long and healthy retirement.
The High Street shop, which was opened by Peter’s father in 1929, passed from generation to generation in the Jefferson family over the years and celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2009.
Peter, of Esk Street, who has been firmly at the helm for the last 20 years despite his ‘pensioner status’, said of the closure: “We’ve had 80-odd years in the town but when I turned 70 last year I realised my heart is not in it as much as it used to be.
“I won’t miss getting up at 6 o’clock in the morning but I will miss the craic and the customers as they’ve become more like friends.”
The butchers overcame many scares over the years -- including Foot and Mouth, beef on the bone and E.coli threats -- to continue supplying mouth-watering meats to the border town.
Peter added: “The biggest change for us was the run down of the Longtown Central Ammunition Depot as we used to stay open late to get them through the door and then the HSBC shut down so even less people dropped in to buy their supper.”
The anniversary years, which at one point saw them supplying more than 20 different types of sausages, have been a particular highlight for Peter and he was touched to receive a 500-piece commemorative jigsaw and sketch of the shop as retirement gifts.
He now plans to spend his free time travelling abroad, tending to his much-loved garden and with his son Richard, daughter Julie and two grandchildren, aged two and nine months.
While sorry that that shop has not stayed open, he is hopeful that it will take on a new lease of life soon, and added: “I would like to thank all my customers for their help over the years and also my staff as I’ve been very fortunate to have had a good team.”
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