Mystery surrounds the sudden closure of the village butcher’s shop in Park Gate.
Park Gate butchers has suddenly closed
Traders in Middle Road said they had no warning that the Traditional Butchers was in difficulty until it failed to open earlier this month.
A sign in the door said they would be “back in five minutes” – but there has been no sign of anyone at the store for the past fortnight. Now a new letting agency sign has been put in the window of the shop.
A chalk board inside the store said they were taking deposits for Christmas meat but it is unclear whether anyone has lost a deposit or any money as a result of the sudden closure.
Traders said the loss of the butcher was a blow to the Middle Road shops.
“We have got a baker, flower shop and a fruit and veg store on the main road so I would have thought a butcher would also have done well here,” said one trader.
“It’s a shame that they have gone. It all happened very suddenly – one day he was there and trading and the next he didn’t open and hasn’t since.”
Another said they had seen the butcher on what later turned out to be his last day of trading and he gave no indication that he was about to close down for good.
The Gazette has tried to contact the owner of the building as well as the butcher to comment on the closure but without success.