Butcher's shop to close after 135 years over rising bills

Julie, Arthur and Chris Wright said the decision to close had "not been taken lightly"

A Derbyshire butcher's shop has announced it will close after 135 years, partly due to rising bills.

C N Wright Butchers, in Codnor, first opened in 1888 and has been run by five generations of the same family.

Now they have said surging costs, particularly utility bills, had forced a decision - adding younger family members had careers elsewhere.

The shop will shut on 4 November, with Arthur and Julie Wright beginning a "well deserved retirement".

'Good innings'

In an announcement on Facebook, C N Wright Butchers said: "The current financial and energy crisis has hit our business, and other similar ones very hard.

"Our costs, especially utility bills have gone up massively and show no signs off letting up.

"We've always tried to offer value alongside quality, but if we passed on all of these additional costs to our customers, we would have very few customers left."

Arthur and Julie's son, Chris - who also works in the shop - is exploring roles elsewhere, the announcement said.

The statement added: "We realise this news will come as a shock to a lot of people who have come to know 'Wrights' as a Codnor institution.

"We think 135 is a good innings."