Christmas comes early for Holbeach butcher's after extension given go-ahead
A Holbeach butcher’s will soon have an expanded premises to help meet growing demand.
G. Shearer and Son, on Damgate Road, has received planning permission to erect a pre-fabricated extension at the premises which will be used as a butchery unit for manufacturing products, including sausages and pork pies.
Manager Ben Tindale said the building couldn’t be coming at a better time for the team.
He said: “The extension will give us a lot more space as it was starting to get a bit cramped in the shop.
“It is a relief that it’s been approved as we weren’t sure what we could have done this Christmas without it really.
“Last year we saw a massive increase in customers and we have had a really good response to our Christmas books since we opened them in October.”
Ben hopes that the new building, a modular extension which will be built and delivered to the premises, will be arriving this week.
He said: “If all goes well, it’ll be here in time for Christmas. In fact, it should be here this week.
“We then need to work out how to make the most of the space as it will be used as a large preparation room and there will also be a walk-in fridge in there too.
“The space is going to be great as it’ll give us so much room to manufacture the products we make on site and meet the increased demand we’ve seen since more new customers have been visiting us.
“Although it won’t directly impact our customers and their experience within the shop, it will help the team a lot.”
The application, which was supported by Holbeach Parish Council, states that the prefabricated structure will be made from plastisol-coated steel in a “Goosewing Grey” shade.
It will be constructed within a factory before being delivered to the site at Highfield Farm, where the butcher’s has been sited since 1975.
Ben said that although the festive period is set to be different this year, preparations are well under way at the butcher’s, which is able to remain open during lockdown.
He said: “When we opened the books for Christmas we were hoping for a good response and we’ve seen that.
“People are ordering smaller meals or they are ordering the same, with a view to making it last and spreading it over a couple of meals.
“We know that this is the most important meal of the year and we are being as versatile as possible to meet our customer’s needs.”
