Hagley butcher closes shop as costs surge, calls for government support

A Worcestershire butcher has closed The Butcheress in Hagley and entered liquidation as rising costs and a drop in customer spending pushed the business past the point of viability. Rachel Edmonds, who opened the shop in 2017 and became known for her bright pink vans and logos, said crippling cost pressures left little choice but to shut. The decision comes after months of losses tied to higher operating costs and changing buying habits that have snarled profit margins on meat products.

Edmonds described a dramatic shift in consumer behavior and market prices. She said the price of meat had more than doubled in the past six months, while the average basket size for customers plummeted. The average spend per customer has fallen from about £28.30 to £5–£6, and the number of customers visiting the shop has declined. With shoppers turning to supermarkets for cheaper options, demand for premium cuts dwindled as households looked to stretch budgets.

Edmonds said rising energy and National Insurance costs left her earning losses for months. She cited a range of contributing factors to the squeeze on small meat businesses, including supply shortages affecting British farmers and British meat, abattoirs operating for fewer days, high costs of abattoir licenses, staffing costs, transport expenses, packaging costs, and feed for animals. “Everything is going up and it’s getting out of control,” she said, adding that she had paid wages that were more than half of her weekly turnover and that electricity ran about £3,000 a month for a small shop. “How is anyone going to survive going forward? We need help from the government. I’m not going to be the first person to shut and I certainly won’t be the last.”

In response, a Treasury spokesperson said the government is pro-business and aiming to create a fairer business rates system to protect the high street, support investment, and level the playing field. The official noted plans to permanently introduce lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties from next year, part of broader measures the government says are intended to ease the burden on small businesses while continuing to invest in public services. The closure of The Butcheress underscores ongoing pressure on small firms in sectors grappling with energy costs, wage pressures, and shifting consumer spending patterns.