Family butchers to change hands after 130 years

A North Yorkshire butcher whose family has run the business for more than 130 years is hanging up his apron.

Jackson's butchers in Sherburn in Elmet opened in 1893 by brothers George and Percy Jackson and was later handed down through five generations of the family.

Wayne Jackson, 60, has now made the difficult decision to sell the business as his children have chosen different career paths.

Mr Jackson, who is handing the business on to new owners outside of his family on Tuesday, said: "Everything comes to an end at some time."

He continued: "I'm working six days a week and doing 12 to 14-hour days so it's time to have a little bit of me time."

Mr Jackson has spent his entire working life at the Low Street business after helping out in the butchers as a boy, with vast changes in the high street since then.

"The younger generation now don't shop and eat the same as the older generation used to do," he said.

"Years ago you used to get the same people in every day."

He continued: "The wife used to come down, get the food, do the cooking for the kids and the husband but now both partners work and they don't cook the same."

Mr Jackson is now moving away from the industry and taking up a job as a part time window and gutter cleaner.

"There's a bit of sadness and a bit of excitement as well," he said.

Regular customer Alex Askew said Mr Jackson was "part of the Sherburn DNA".

"It'll be a real loss and it's going to be different without him, it won't be the same," she said.

"People come and go and this person means a lot to this community."

Ms Askew added: "We need to look after these mini high streets and look after our local people otherwise the big cats will take over and the high street will be destroyed."

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