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CROPPER BUTCHERS PRESS - CHRISTMAS 2018

Cropper Family Butchers serves up award-winning Christmas prime lambs Award-winning prime lambs are again on the menu from this weekend at G&C Cropper Family Butchers in Accrington Market. The reserve supreme champion lambs at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual Christmas primestock shows late last month – a Beltex-cross trio bred by the Brown family in Leyburn, North Yorkshire – were bought by butcher George Cropper purposely for the keynote festive trade




And while he paid £200 each for the Skipton reserve champions, also acquiring further championship and prize-winning prime lambs at other northern auctions marts, plus prize-winning prime beef purchased from both Hexham and Cockermouth Auction Mart’s Christmas shows, Mr Cropper is keen to point out that all the meat will, as usual, be sold at normal shop prices.
“Our customers are in for a real Christmas treat. We have carefully prepared both the lambs and beef, which are being sold in all the popular roasts and cuts,” said Mr Cropper, who is this year celebrating his milestone 60th Christmas as a butcher in Accrington Market.
Two years ago, the business moved to a new unit double the size of its previous premises, with Mr Cropper, who is now well into his seventies and still going strong, joined by his daughter Clare, who also farms in Long Preston, between Skipton and Settle, with her partner John Mellin.
The couple breed both British Blue and Limousin cattle, for which they have won multiple championships and awards over the years.
In fact, their home-bred beef, along with prime lambs also bred on the farm, is sold at G&C Cropper Family Butchers throughout the year, and is only supplemented by outsourced primestock in order to meet peak festive season demand.