Blackpool butcher beefs up security amid coronavirus crisis

When things started to become frantic at GK Mitchell and Son in Lytham Road, owner Matthew Mitchell decided to call on the services of friend Colin Appleby to help keep order for customers queuing for orders.

Matthew said Colin, who is a musician in the band Electric Dreams, was at a loose end thanks to coronavirus cancelling entertainment across the Fylde Coast, so he called on him to help at the shop.

He said the shop had been extremely busy since the crisis started to bite last week and even had to close early on Saturday at 11.30am after having sold all its stock.

He said: "It has been crazy busy. I have never know anything like it. On Saturday we did not have a sausage left, not even a bit of one! I am part of a group of butchers on social media and they are all saying the same.

"Thankfully our supplier John Jackson, on Amy Johnson Way near the airport, has come up trumps and we got stock in on Monday morning. It must be really difficult for Jacksons because they import Dutch bacon and there area all the restrictions in place on imports at the moment."

Matthew said customers had been getting anxious with many people fearing they would not have any food during the restrictions on movement to combat Covid-19.

He said at time there was shouting and pushing in the shop and he became concerned for everyone's safety.

He explained: "Several of our staff are vulnerable people, including my wife Amy who has asthma, so we had to do something. I knew Colin had nothing to do so I got in contact and asked him to help out. People were just charging in. I actually thought about shutting the shop at one point.

"He was on the door to let in just one person at a time and control the hand sanitiser, and people kept saying we had a bouncer. He's not really, he is just helping, but it became a bit of a joke and we had a sign put up outside too."

The sign reads: "Shop Rules: One in , one out. No pushing in. We don't tolerate rudeness. Remember, we get rid of bodies for a living!"

Matthew added: "Now it has put a smile of a lot of people's faces, which is important right now."

He also added that it was important that people should look after each other and, where possible, support local businesses.

He said: "It's all about sticking together. We have teamed up with the grocers across the road, Fresh and Fruity. If anyone needs a delivery we have been helping each other out.

"We have been getting orders together for vulnerable people and we know a couple of taxi drivers who are helping us deliver."

The Mitchells butchers shop was founded by Matthews late father Geoffrey and his mum Kathleen. There are six members of staff in the team and the family firm sources most of its produce locally. Matthew said the furthest supplier away was in Halifax who was a family friend.