Butcher warned over ad board innuendo sells shop

A butcher, once warned by the police about his "risque" signs, has sold his shop in Leek.

Pete Lymer, who has traded meat and pies from JW Ash & Son for more than sixteen years, said he wanted to focus on mobile catering and spend more time with his children.

When asked about his signs laden with sexual innuendo, he insisted they were never meant to offend.

“Some were perhaps a little bit risqué, you could say, but I always thought they were pretty straight forward,” he said.

Mr Lymer had built a loyal following of customers, some of whom welcomed his sense of humour.

But some thought differently, with police saying in 2018 that while they had received no complaints, his signs risked offence.

Six years on, Mr Lymer said that the escalating price of meat and cost-of-living crisis had been a challenge in recent years.

“Once again everything’s gone up and people have also got to watch their pockets, haven’t they?” he said.

"At the end of the day, we've all got our bills to pay but you've got to be realistic."

He described running the shop "not as a job, but as a way of life", adding he would miss his valued customers.

“Each and every one‘s got their own unique character," he explained. "Some who you favour, some who you think ‘oh for goodness sake’ but they’ve all got good hearts."

Mr Lymer said he would still encourage younger generations to enter a "very satisfying" career, adding: “If people don’t keep doing it, the jobs won’t be there and it’ll become a mass produced thing."

New owner, Eddie Gibson from Sprinks Farm, said he looked forward to offering locally-reared meat from his two farms in Horton.

He agreed with Mr Lymer that local butchers had a strong future because people "care more than ever" about where their food is sourced.