Vicky Bhogal

The Blackfoot Butchers, Charlotte Place, London, W1
– Postscript
I wrote a piece for this website about the Blackfoot Butchers in April 2009 in which I unashamedly detailed my affection for the shop. So imagine my horror when I visited one Monday in early July to find a lonely “Sorry, we’re closed forever” sign hanging in the door. This was without doubt (and before writing this I’ve considered world hunger, disease epidemics, wars, Jade Goody dying) the single worst thing that has happened to the Universe. Ever. My initial reaction of grief (Michael Jackson fans can only imagine) and panic over where to buy meat in future quickly evolved into rage!

The closure does provide an example of how, as a nation, we are consciously choosing price over quality and convenience ahead of excellence. Of course, some blame must be attributed to the proprietors. Perhaps they didn’t market their shop widely enough and the location was slightly “off-pitch”? But one couldn’t blame their excellent staff and produce.

Those may be factors, but ultimately the blame for the condition and form our high streets and neighbourhoods take is ultimately down to the consumer. The proliferation or supermarkets is evidence of our collective laziness. Yes, laziness. Too extreme as a criticism? Perhaps in some exceptional cases, but whilst we have time to idle away gawping at Big Brother and trudging around retail parks on our weekend, there is no good excuse. Our collective desire for cheap and easily accessible human will be noticeably reversed, certainly not quickly. The collective will of Channel 4, Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, plus all the similar media outlets, seems only to penetrate the like-minded. Spreading the desire for better quality requires assistance from government in terms of; education of (in and outside schools) and legislation/regulation (e.g. food welfare and production standards, better emphasis on, support and funding for Protected Designation of Origin) and assistance to producers and non-multiple retailers (of which there is little). But ultimately, only if the consumer demands better quality and make the effort to find it will we ever see any genuine change. Retailers and producers, whether large or small, will never truly change unless it affects their income. I am not hopeful.