A BUTCHER who has enjoyed a successful first year in business in Sanderstead is getting ready to fill a gap in the market for another part of the borough.
It has been a frantic and successful first year for Kenneth Bashford, since he took the plunge and opened his first butcher's shop.
Over the year, he has seen the turnover at the shop - Bashford and Co, in Elmfield Way - increase by £100,000, and found himself in the running for new butchery business of the year in a national contest.
Now, he is finalising plans to open a second shop in Coulsdon, after the previous butcher left the town earlier this year.
Mr Bashford, 32, bought out the former D C Tann shop from the previous owner.
But he had a head start as he set about establishing himself, because he had worked in the shop since he was 15.
Mr Bashford said: "I already had a good relationship with the customers, which has helped."
With a staff of six at the shop, most of whom are around his age, he said he was bringing a fresh approach to the business.
That has not, however, meant sacrificing the concept of treating his customers well.
Mr Bashford said: "Our advantage over the supermarkets is that we are specialists.
"What our customers want is a quality product, but they are pretty shrewd, so they also only want to pay reasonable prices. That is what we are doing."
That personal specialist approach also extends to being able to meet customers' needs.
Mr Bashford said: "If someone only wants a couple of rashers of bacon, we will sell them.
"That is the joy of working here."
The successful Mr Bashford is now in the process of preparing to move into the former Martyn Lewis butchers, in Brighton Road, Coulsdon, which closed in June.
He says he intends to have the shop open by Christmas.
