The obvious problem with trying to use these premises as anything other than a butcher's shop is that the shop was purpose built in the 1920s as such and has, by its very nature, never really lent itself to any other kind of retailing.
It's current use as the Balti Spice Takeaway has, at least, brought it closer to its original use as a food retail outlet and, thankfully, the overall look of the building hasn't altered beyond all recognition.
In 1987 the shop was nearing the end of its days in the meat retail trade and the red and white vinyl labels affixed to the windows are evidence of what may have been a last-ditch attempt to promote the idea of buying meat from local shops.
We were, of course, well into the supermarket age by this time and people were getting used to picking up their Sunday joints as part of the regular weekly shop, be it in Middlewich, Winsford or Crewe, rather than using their local butcher's shops.
Just discernible through the windows are those priceless, and now lost for ever, Italian tiles and all the accoutrements of a traditional butcher's shop, including the very evocative scales on the left hand side of the picture.
In front of the shop is a bicycle, festooned with shopping bags and baskets which even the most careless of reporters could never mistake for a Raleigh Chopper. It has, of course, got to be a Raleigh Shopper, or something of the sort.
We'd love to be able to identify the people in this photograph. Does anyone recognise them?
Facebook Feedback:
Chris Koons: I can't tell you their names, but the pic certainly brings back memories! I used to work here as a Saturday girl from '86 through to '88, sometimes at the Middlewich shop and sometimes at the branch in Sandbach Market (at least I think it was Sandbach LOL) Ahh...those were the days....
Ann-Marie Hunter: I remember this as a butchers!
Robert Sheckleston: The lady standing in the doorway is Mrs Mary Plumb, my auntie.
