Butcher retiring after 53 years in same shop

Paul Jessop said he enjoyed talking to people but would not miss the early starts

A butcher says he is looking forward to a lie-in when he hangs up his apron and retires after 53 years.

Paul Jessop will not miss the early starts of half-past four when he serves his last cut of meat at Robbs in Balderton Gate, Newark, on 1 March.

After starting work there at the age of 13 in 1971, Mr Jessop has put in more than half a century serving the residents of the market town.

"I love talking to people, but it's hard work," he said. "No-one wants to get up at half-past four - sometimes earlier - and get it all ready."

Mr Jessop said his retirement would leave only three butchers shops in the town

He said that while change had affected high streets in general and Newark in particular, he had proudly stuck to traditional values and products.

Mr Jessop specialises in pork pies and sources all his meat locally.

He said: "When I started, there were two or three butchers on every street.

"When I've closed down, there will be three in the whole town, which is sad.

"While things haven't changed much for me because I serve a niche product, everything else has changed.

"Newark used to be a thriving market town, and I mean thriving.

"It used to be that people would have to queue for a stall in the market, now you can pick your spot."

'Really tough'

He is looking forward to spending time on his allotment and getting some lie-ins.

He said: "If there were four Christmases in a year, I wouldn't have to work the rest of the year.

"But it is really tough; 02:00 starts at Christmas, half-four the rest of the time, and no-one seems to want to come in and do that."

Chris Fry, who has been a customer almost as long as Mr Jessop has worked at the shop, added: "I don't do online shopping, and know I can come here for the pies, and there is nothing which tastes like these."