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Tyneside butcher to mark 30th anniversary by selling beef at 1987 prices

A Tyneside butcher`s shop is this month beefing up its milestone 30th anniversary celebrations by offering prime beef roasts at the same price they were sold over the counter three decades ago!

George Payne Butchers in Brunton Park, Gosforth, is rolling back the clock - and the prices - by serving up rolled beef silverside at a knockdown £3.58 per lb, compared to the present day price of £6.50 per lb.

`It`s all about giving something back to our many loyal customers who have shopped with us for years,` explained George, who added: `This one-off deal kicks in on Monday, May 22, and will run until the beef we`re sourcing from several long-standing suppliers actually runs out, though we`ll be hoping it lasts through until our actually 30th anniversary, which falls on May 29!`

The Princes Road shop, which remains one of Tyneside`s longest established traditional independent family butchers, has this month and for the first time ever introduced prime beef cuts from Whitebred Shorthorn cattle and these will form part of the cut price beef anniversary offer.

George explained: `Whitebred Shorthorns are bred mainly in the border counties of England and Scotland, and while the exact origin and birthplace of the breed is not known, it is likely that they were derived over 100 years ago from the white dual purpose Shorthorn cattle, locally known as the Cumberland Shorthorn.

`In 2004, the Whitebred Shorthorn was added to the Rare Breed Survival Trust`s Watchlist as a `critical` status 1 breed, so by eating the meat of this endangered species our customers are actually helping to ensure its very survival.`


Organic premium beef from pedigree Dexter cattle, along with prime beef from British Shorthorn, Highlanders, Aberdeen Angus, Galloway and Luing cattle, are also regularly on the menu at George Payne Butchers, and these breeds may also be in stock for the 30th anniversary price crunch.

Across three decades, George Payne Butchers has established and cemented gate-to-plate partnerships with local farmers, developing a highly regarded speciality in sourcing and serving up meat from traditional British and native breed cattle, sheep and pigs.

It was this long-standing commitment that earned George, who in earlier years was himself a stalwart of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, the accolade of becoming - and remaining - one of celebrity chef Rick Stein`s `Food Heroes.`

The shop has won multiple regional, national and international awards for its products, while George is a former Northumbria Butcher of the Year. He has also been a true servant of the meat industry sector, being a founder member and former regional and national chairman of the Butchers Q Guild, which represents over 120 of the country`s leading butchers.

George added: `We`ve come a long way in 30 years and have some fantastic customers, many of whom have been with us since day one. We`ve also had a great team over the years, today led by shop manager Alex Daley, and I thank them one and all. One thing`s for sure, without them and the support of our loyal customers, we certainly wouldn`t be where we are today!`

Pic caption: Looking forward to beefing up the 30th anniversary milestone at George Payne Butchers are, from left, shop manager Alex Daley, 24-year-old up and coming butcher Anthony Cunningham  and owner George Payne.