We'll meat again at new shop

Elvington Food Services suffered a major setback when its shop at Elvington Industrial Estate caught fire due to an electrical fault in a plug socket in July.

The blaze left the premises unfit for food use and £15,000 of meat had to be thrown away.

But now the business is set to make a comeback on Saturday with new premises in Wigginton Road.

The venture, which will employ eight people, will be bigger than ever.

The butchers', known as The Farmgate, will supply meat to restaurants and pubs as well as the public and there will be an Italian deli selling products such as parma ham.

As well as selling local produce and creating their own sausages and hams on site, their range will include halal meats for Muslims in the York area.

But it has not been plain sailing for the firm. Foot and mouth disease had already forced the company to close its retail outlet in Haxby and so far the firm has received only £25,000 in insurance from the fire.

The company's three directors took matters into their own hands and mortgaged their homes to come up with the £180,000 needed to build the new facility.

Director Dom Mbenga, 38, of Wilberfoss, said he felt it was essential they kept their butchers' business going as York had so few butchers left.

"The local traditional butchers have gone. People go to supermarkets now, but it's not the same quality."

He said the company had managed to retain its customers, some of whom come from as far afield as Torquay, Bristol and London, with a small shop on the Wigginton Road site to keep the business going until the larger premises was completed. There are already plans to take on new staff in the New Year.

"We didn't trade for a month after the fire, but then we got to work building the new premises," Mr Mbenga said.

He added that although the fire had been devastating, it had been a blessing in disguise as it had inspired them to launch the new venture.

Updated: 13:06 Thursday, December 11, 2003