Trowbridge's last butcher shutting shop after 'hell of a struggle'

Award-winning Paul McKinley, who runs the Castle Place Butchers, has decided to close his shop on Saturday (April 20).

Mr McKinley, 63, posted a closing down notice in his shop windows because his business is no longer financially viable.

He says the lack of footfall at Castle Place has forced the decision as he is no longer making enough money to pay his meat suppliers.

Paul McKinley plans to close his butchers shop on Saturday. Photo: Trevor Porter (Image: Trevor Porter)

“I have struggled for months. I have always kept a tight ship but I want to be able to sleep at night,” said Mr McKinley, who has been a butcher for 48 years.

“I have worked here for seven years for seven days a week without a break or a holiday to keep this place going. I just want my life back.

“The last two years have been a hell of a struggle. I moved upstairs after the Covid lockdown and that is when it all went wrong. I have got heavily into debt because my energy bills went up.

“I’m tired and I’m depressed. When I close down, the first thing I’m going to do is to book an appointment to see my GP,” said Mr McKinley, who lives in Broadmead, Trowbridge.

The empty Castle Place shopping mall.Photo: Trevor Porter 76944-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr McKinley estimates he is now over £40,000 in debt and says the latest blow was being unable to pay his meat suppliers.

“I have given it my best shot. I have got nothing to be ashamed of. I have done everything I could to keep it going,” he added.

He says the rot set in when other large retailers, Shaws the Draper, Mainlys Hardware, and Wilko’s all pulled out of Castle Place, reducing the footfall in the shopping mall and the market hall downstairs.

Mr McKinley previously traded downstairs in the Market Hall and was persuaded to move upstairs to gain greater visibility for his business.

He won a Butchers Guild Award as 'Butcher of the Year' in 2011.