Sussex Butcher of the Year

Sponsored by RP Meats Wholesale

For a top-quality butcher’s shop, which offers a good range of locally reared meat and gives that little bit extra in terms of quality and service.

WINNER

Tablehurst Farm
Tablehurst Farm, Forest Row, East Sussex

Tablehurst became a community farm in 1996 and has been growing and developing ever since. With the exception of local wild venison, everything on the butcher’s counter at Tablehurst Farm, Forest Row, East Sussex, is reared on the farm. They offer biodynamic beef and lamb and organic pork and chicken all year and cut to order if required. They cure and smoke their own nitrate-free bacon and make many varieties of butcher’s sausages. They also rear ducks, geese and turkeys for Christmas. Everything is reared to the highest standards of welfare and care for the environment.

Judges comment:

Greg Thatcher, MD of RP Meats Wholesale, said: ‘The dedication of the team and quality of the meat they sell is outstanding. It is wonderful to see that the animal welfare standards and dedication to caring for the environment is matched by the service and knowledge they share with their customers.’

GRAND FINALISTS

Cottenhams of Lindfield
Cottenhams of Lindfield – Craft Butcher, Lindfield, West Sussex

Based in the West Sussex village of Lindfield, John Cottenham works with some incredibly dedicated farmers who they know and trust, who have the highest standards of animal welfare and whose farms and animals they are familiar with. These partnerships are an essential part of their story and the reason customers can have absolute confidence in the meat they sell. With a focus on personal service and attention to detail “Cottenham’s” is a cutting edge yet traditional family.

2021 Update
They have employed more staff and kept their socially distanced queue moving quickly with the help of a walkie talkie system which provided much entertainment for the staff and customers!! They have also thanked their team repeatedly and rewarded them financially and are very proud of the service they have provided.

Nick the Butcher
Nick The Butcher, Hartfield, East Sussex

Nick Gill has been a butcher for over 40 years and is dedicated to supplying the best quality, responsibly reared meat to his local community in Hartfield, East Sussex. Using traditional cutting methods combined with modern touches, their friendly, experienced butchers are more than happy to assist you and make sure you get the right cut for you from this traditional family butcher, always striving to be the best they can for their customers.

2021 Update
They provided a service to those who were self-isolating, by allowing a contact free collection and payment system and delivered to the most vulnerable. They made an effort to keep smiling and remain positive as for some customers, they were the only place they visited during the pandemic.