Hampshire’s Last Abattoir to Close, Impacting Local Food Supply Chains
The last remaining abattoir in Hampshire, Newman’s Abattoir, is set to close its doors at the end of January, dealing a significant blow to local food supply chains.
This independent, family-run business based in Farnborough has been a key player in the region, trading as PC Turner & Ockwells Meat Company and supplying 150 butchers’ shops and Smithfield Market in London.
The closure of Newman’s Abattoir is the latest in a series of shutdowns in the slaughterhouse sector, leaving only a handful of multispecies abattoirs in the South East. The industry has been grappling with numerous challenges, including rising costs and stringent regulations from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which have made it increasingly difficult for facilities like Newman’s to remain viable.
This trend of abattoir closures across the UK has been driven by declining stock numbers, increased operational costs, and limited profit margins. The loss of Newman’s Abattoir underscores the ongoing struggles faced by the sector and the impact on local food supply chains.
Original story by Philip Case | Farmers Weekly
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