A CORNISH butcher is to hang up his hat and apron for a final time this Saturday (August 22) after 33 years in the business.

Michael Kinger and wife Hazel, and family, said that it was with ‘much sadness and careful consideration’ that they made the decision for Michael to retire from the business Tamar Valley Butchers, based on Fore Street in Gunnislake.

Michael started his butchery business at the age of 32. He had butchered all his life and decided to make the move to Gunnislake with his family, from Middlesex, when Michael’s father retired from their own family shop.

They moved as a family with three young children — and a dog — to the shop on Fore Street which had previously been a butchers when the Kinger family took over.

The family said they had loved every minute of being involved in community life and being in the centre of Gunnislake but felt the time was right to say goodbye to the business as it was no longer viable to continue.

Hazel said: ‘We would like to very much thank all our customers — both the loyal regulars and those of you who have found us more recently during the tricky times; your custom has enabled us to keep the counter trade going and has allowed us to continue to provide a quality service to you all.

‘But as life returns to a degree of normality [after lockdown], things will and have inevitably changed. Realistically, we cannot continue to rely solely on counter trade, and sadly, we cannot viably trade without the business of the catering outlets that we have previously supplied.

‘So, now is the time for Michael to admit he is a pensioner and go on to do more of what he enjoys.’

Michael, a first responder, enjoys football and is part of the Gunnislake Football Club, he runs the local table tennis club and enjoys fishing — and he intends to enjoy these hobbies during retirement. He has also been a school governor at Gunnislake and supported every charitable event with raffle donations for the Gunnislake community.

During the Covid pandemic, the family has delivered to countless people and communicated heavily with the Post Office and the Premier Store opposite them in the street to make sure local residents’ needs were met, especially during lockdown.

The family said they wished everyone the best for the future and invited people to say goodbye on their final day of trading on Saturday, August 22.

Calstock Parish Council has expressed thanks to Michael, Hazel and also staff member Paul Trevithick for their years of service to the community (see lettter on page 6).