Cumbria butcher of the year: Sedbergh shop takes home award

The Meat Hook was recognised at the England Business Awards, which took place in Carlisle on Sunday evening.

The awards celebrate regional excellence with the most recent ceremony bringing together the best business owners throughout the county.

Jonathan Harper, who runs the butchers with his wife, said: "We've been going for over a year and a half now, and we've been really busy from the very beginning.

"We got to go to the ceremony, have a three course meal, and be surrounded by other local businesses, so we also got to learn a lot throughout the evening."

It is not the first time the shop has been recognised, previously being nominated as one of the best new businesses in the meat industry.

"Unfortunately, we didn't win that title that time around, but it's still great to see our work being appreciated," he said.

"The support from the local community has been there from the very start, and this award really fills us with a sense of achievement."

Before the Meat Hook came into being, the area of Sedbergh had been made to make do without a butchers on their doorstep.

"When we arrived, I think people were just happy to have one back," Mr Harper explained.

"Butchers get overlooked for how important they are in the roles they play for small towns, and we've been happy to fill that gap, particularly as I was born and raised in Sedbergh."

The Meat Hook can be found on Finkle Street in Sedbergh (Image: Google Maps)

Thanks to the county victory, the Meat Hook will now get the chance to go up against other shops from across the country, and Mr Harper was not one to rest on his laurels.

"We've got to believe that we can win because there's nothing wrong with aiming high.

"The sky's the limit from our perspective."