Trowbridge's last independent butcher has praised the owner of Castle Place shopping centre for saving him from unemployment.

Paul McKinley, 63, said he was facing the possibility of life on the dole until Castle Place owner Tahir Ali offered him his old unit in the Market Hall.

He said the Castle Place shopping centre owner Tahir Ali has been very supportive in helping to make the move back downstairs.

“He has been very good. I am very pleased,” Paul said. “If it were not for him, I would have been unemployed.

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Wiltshire Times: Butcher Paul McKinley is back in his original unit in the Castle Place Market Hall. Image: Trevor Porter 77054-1Butcher Paul McKinley is back in his original unit in the Castle Place Market Hall. Image: Trevor Porter 77054-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)

“He rang me up and said ‘Paul, go back to your old unit, it’s empty and you did well down there’ and I said yes."

He said it has been “the best move” he has made for ages and is now looking forward to rebuilding his business.

Wiltshire Times: Butcher Paul McKinley says he is very happy to be back in his original unit in the Castle Place Market Hall. Image: Trevor Porter 77054-3Butcher Paul McKinley says he is very happy to be back in his original unit in the Castle Place Market Hall. Image: Trevor Porter 77054-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Tahir is currently promoting Castle Place to potential tenants and is hoping to attract some nationally-known companies to take the larger units in the shopping mall.

The centre is being marketed by James Gregory, of national commercial estate agents Alder King, and Stephen Brickell, of Brockhurst Property Management in Corsham.

Wiltshire Times: The Castle Place shopping centre is being marketed by joint sole agents Stephen Brickell, of Brockhurst Property Management, and James Gregory, of Alder King. The Castle Place shopping centre is being marketed by joint sole agents Stephen Brickell, of Brockhurst Property Management, and James Gregory, of Alder King. (Image: Castle Place)

Paul added: “He has got things happening but I can see that it takes time.

“It’s like me, I had a good week last week and a good start this week, but I still want a good two months to get going properly.”

Castle Place Butchers was closed for two and a half weeks before Paul moved his business back downstairs to the unit he originally vacated during the Covid pandemic lockdowns.

He said he is “very happy” to be back in the Market Hall where his energy utility costs will be much cheaper and is already seeing an upturn in trade.

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“All my regulars are coming back down to see me and I’m getting a few different ones that I haven’t seen so it has been a good move.”

Having been a butcher for 48 years, Paul is hoping to carry on until he reaches his 50th anniversary in the trade,  adding: “I could make 50 years quite easily now.

“When you have been in work all your life and then you might not have nothing you think what am I going to do.

“If I retire when I’m 68, I could go on for another five years in good health, which I am, and I will be okay.”