Tears as family-run Wolverhampton butcher closes after 90 years and four generations

The staff at Bates Butchers were cutting the meat, chatting with customers and selling Black Country delicacies like faggots for the last time on Saturday after 93 years of trading.

The cost of living crisis has forced the shop to shut, following on from a fire in 2014 and the Covid-19 pandemic, and the last day saw a stream of regulars coming in to wish owner Daniel Bates and the rest of the team the best going forward.

The shelves around the shop were emptying as the end of the day drew closer, with the last pieces of beef and chicken being prepared and sold alongside bags of pork scratchings.

It was a sad sight for those people who had used the shop for years, with Caroline Patel among those making one last visit, having been a regular for 40 years.

The 65-year-old, who lives just up the road, said it was a lovely place and couldn't believe it was closing.

She said: "It's been like a second home for me and I couldn't believe it when I heard it was closing as it's yet another shop that's had to close its doors and put people out of a job.

"It's devastating to know it's closing and it will a huge loss to the community as it was a marvellous shop where you got great service and a great selection.

"This is going to end up being another empty shop if no one buys it and I think that's very sad."

Another customer, who asked not to be named, said she'd only just found out the shop was closing and was very sad to hear about something that was part of her childhood closing.

She said: "Growing up as a young girl around here, my mother used this shop for years and was looked after for many years as well, so I'm going to have to tell her about this.#

"I wanted to come in and get some meat and now I know what's happening, I just think it will be a huge loss to the whole community."

For owner Daniel, the last day was very emotional, with those on both sides of the counter in tears about the closure, and he said it would be felt by a lot of people.

He said: "The thing is we've been here since the 1930s, so a lot of people remember us as children coming here and we've been an ever-present for them, so it's been emotional for them as well as us.

"I don't know what I'm going to do next if I'm honest as I need to get my head straight, because this has been a part of my life since I was 12 and I'm 48 now, so I have to take stock of it.

"People have been telling us how much they're going to miss us and I think the legacy of this place will be that we tried to help everyone we could.

"I'd just like to say thank you to everyone for their kind words as we have been so lucky to have such loyal customers over the years, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything."