Lyndhurst butcher's reopens after customers left without orders

Chris Street is looking to the future after giving the Lyndhurst property a major upgrade that cost about £20,000 and took four months.

Previously called The New Forest Butcher, the newly renamed New Forest Family Butchers is welcoming customers old and new.

The long established shop shut on December 13, leaving about 100 customers without their orders for festive food.

Chris Street, Dan Carey and Callum Shirley at New Forest Family Butchers in Lyndhurst High Street (Image: Newsquest)

A notice in the window said: "Due to high rising energy bills and slow custom, we have had no alternative but to cease trading.

“We understand that some of our customers have ordered or paid for Christmas meat and unfortunately we cannot honour our commitment to you. Your details will be passed to our liquidators who may contact you.”

Staff at the nearby Stag Hotel provided last-minute turkey and beef at wholesale prices to those who had been "let down".

The shop reopened three weeks ago and has just been awarded a five-star food hygiene rating by health inspectors.

Chris said: "I was approached by the landlord who phoned me up, said he'd seen my other two shops in Winchester and Wellow, and asked me if I'd be interested in running a third.

"I saw the shop had great potential and decided to bite the bullet."

READ MORE: Pub saves Christmas for customers of New Forest butcher's shop that closed without warning

The 31-year-old father of one embarked on a major refit that included new cabinets and new ceilings.

"At times I thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew, but I just kept going.

"The feedback since we started trading has been really positive. People say it's great to have a butcher's back in the village."

Chris Street says other Lyndhurst traders have been very supportive of the new venture (Image: Newsquest)

The new-look business is proving popular with locals, plus people staying on campsites in the area.

Chris said: "We're trying to reassure everyone that the shop is under new management and everything is completely different. We're seeing new faces every day, and all the other traders have been super supportive."

Referring to competition from supermarkets he added: "It's tough, but we offer extra quality involving locally-sourced produce."

The new team includes Dan Carey, who worked there five years ago - before the previous leaseholder became involved.

"Dan had been at my Wellow shop for two years before I moved him to Lyndhurst. He knows a lot of people and they trust him."