Parkin Family Butchers savour their slice of success

PARKIN Family Butchers sliced and diced the competition in the Retail Business of the Year category of the Chamber Goole and Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards – and Philip Parkin got the biggest cheer of the night as he collected his award!

The popular Howden butcher paid an emotional tribute to his parents as he collected his award, and particularly his mum, who was recovering from an operation which prevented them from being at the ceremony.

Philip took over the business from his parents, Roy and Sylvia, 11 years ago carrying on the family tradition after their 30 years in charge, with Roy having learned his trade under previous owner Jack Moor before that, working from the age of 13.

Philip, who came to Howden as a six-year-old, is clearly loved by his customers and is part of the fixtures and fittings of life in Howden. His partner, Marie Hall, who was a Class 1 HGV driver before getting involved with Philip and the butcher’s shop, said: “His gift of the gab means his customers can’t keep a straight face, with some just popping in for a chat and spending an hour in the shop without buying anything, but that’s great, because we treat our customers as friends”.

Philip personally shoots some of the game which he sells in the shop and is the local oracle of the Howden community. Step over the threshold of Parkin Family Butchers and you are met by his catchphrase, issued with a booming voice and big grin from the back of the shop: “Now then, what do you know?”

Marie said: “There are three forms of communication in Howden, television, telephone, and tell Parkin!”

Philip, Marie and shop assistant Caroline Battye were thrilled with their win. Marie said: “We didn’t think we’d win it, especially when we saw who we were up against. We’re not ones for blowing our own trumpets and we don’t advertise. We just do what we do and rely on word of mouth, but some of our customers are now third and fourth generation. We were deluged by emails and Facebook messages congratulating us”.

Philip admitted: “Saturday morning was a bit hazy!” “Yes,” interrupted Marie, “He was drinking red wine with pints of lager as chasers to celebrate!”

Philip and Marie said they wanted to thank the judges for picking them, and their customers who recommended them. “It’s just nice for a small family business to get a bit of recognition against the big players,” they said.

After receiving his award, Philip’s first thought was to ring his mum to tell her the good news – and that is the measure of this big-hearted local celebrity – and what the Chamber Goole and Howdenshire Business Excellence Awards are all about.