Our last remaining butcher closed just before Christmas ... he never really had the charisma, or knowledge of what I would call a good butcher. All his meat was displayed in ready to go packs and when I asked him if his bacon was British or Danish, he said he didn't know, he just bought the cheapest as that was what his customers wanted

I rarely saw any customers in there, so not surprised at his demise. We do have another butcher shop in Denham, but the certification that used to hang in the window when a previous butcher was there is now gone. Others rate them, but when I once asked for a free range chicken, he went out the back and brought with him a carcass that looked the same as those on display

They do sell bags of chicken frames (bones etc) though, quite cheaply, so I have bought those for stock and plenty of meat pickings after being cooked. We also have a butcher in the Pavilions shopping arcade in Uxbridge - a chain I think- but although lots of cuts of meat and plenty of bones for stock, no sign of anything free range, never mind organic
