Portchester Butchers welcomes new owners who have years of experience to the town

The Twells Tradition Butchers, based in Portchester High Street, has been taken over by professionals, who have been in the industry for decades.

Now called Portchester Butchers, the business is set to be revamped by father and son duo, Jacob Smith, 29, and David Smith, 62, who are hoping to wow their customers with what they can do.

David has been a butcher all of his life and has 40 years of experience after he began his journey in the industry as a Saturday boy in the 1970’s, and he has never looked back.

The 62-year-old has got a wealth of knowledge about the industry, and he has previously owned a butchers in Arundel, West Sussex, which became very successful.

He bought his shop in 1989 and in 2003, he decided to take his expertise across seas and venture out to Spain, where he established yet another thriving business which had 17 staff.

A few years on he decided to come home to the UK and support other butchers as a relief worker – but now he has returned to the industry full time and has set up shop once more with his son.

The pair have opened their doors today, amid an official launch day, to welcome customers in and get to know those in the local community, and they have high hopes for the business.

They are going to be introducing a sausage manufactering area, accompanied with an entire display of different flavour combinations including pork and leek, Spanish chorizo and Welsh dragons.

David said: ‘I know all about the butcher trade from the bottom all the way to having a new shop. I am hoping to bring this shop up up to my standards because my first shop had good quality butchering and I am going to bring that into the business.

‘Mo’s had a good reputation for sausages, but I will have a better one. It is all I know. I am just a butcher.

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‘There are very few butchers left, especially if you are a retail butchers.’

Jacob, who is a single dad of three, is going to be helping his dad run the business and he will be using his experience in catering to bring something special to the business.

The 29-year-old went to catering college during his time in Spain, and he said that he is excited to be able to offer customers ‘ready to cook’ deals, as well as holding bbq’s for the local community to get involved in.

He said: ‘It was originally Twells butchers but it is the first day opening up, and it has been a bit of a learning curve.

‘It is all free range, we are getting local produce in and we are in contact with a local farm and the duck eggs are local.’

‘My dad has been doing this forever 40 years and I have been doing it since I was 14.’

David added: ‘Whenever you open a new shop it takes some time to get used to, because there are things that are different, but I am really pleased with it.’