To help support the full return of the high street, Kingston Nub News is continuing our new feature where we profile some of Kingston's best local businesses.

This week we talk to Robin Bevan of Bevan's Butchers , a family-run business which has been going in Kingston for over 90 years!

During our Q&A, Robin tells us how he became a master butcher, what makes their Kingston shop unique and how the next 90 years of Bevan's Butchers may look as the meat trade continues to evolve.

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Nub News: Hi Robin! Your business has been in the family for generations. When did you take over from your father and uncle, and what was involved in the transition?

Robin: "Taking over the business from dad wasn't a gradual process but rather an emergency one.

"He was ill and unable to continue working so I came back from travelling to take over.

"It was a baptism of fire, but I am lucky in that he has always been there to bounce ideas off of and give advice."

What training did you have before taking over the shop? Did you attends Smithfields London too?

R: "I apprenticed as a butcher with my dad but I got my more formal training at Westminster Catering College."

I see that you have branches in other areas of Surrey. So what makes the Kingston shop unique?

R: "The Kingston shop has been in the family since at least 1929, I grew up in the flat above the shop and have known many of the customers and staff since I was a child, so it is the history and family associations that make it so special.

"It is our flagship shop and always will be.

"The other shops are special for different reasons, Effingham for example, last year was involved in a devastating fire that spread from the next-door neighbour, and which will be re-built in time for summer, is where I have been able to try out new things and start something from scratch which is exciting."

What kinds of customers do you get? For example, regulars, those who come in for a special cut of meat for a Sunday roast?

R: "Our customer base is wide-ranging, from local families looking for a high quality and sustainable Sunday roast to food enthusiasts who make a specific journey for a particular product.

"I think what unites them is a desire for high-quality produce."

Running a small business is incredibly hard work. What are the skills and qualities needed to do this successfully as your family has done through the generations?

R: "Running a small business you have to be on 24/7 call, it can be tough with a young family, so you need to have a passion for it.

"I'm proud of the family business and want it to reflect the hard work that generations have put into it as well as provide a living for me and my family so that drives me."

In a similar vein, what does it take to be a master butcher as your father and uncle were?

R: "For me butchery is both a traditional and an evolving discipline.

"Master butchery is about the craft that is passed through generations - you need a natural affinity for it as well as a good teacher.

"But today there is also a science to being a good butcher.

"Ageing beef, for example, is technical and technological process that requires expertise and the right refrigeration and an understanding of the product.

"I am constantly looking for new and innovative approaches to sustainable and high-quality food production and take a lot of inspiration from butchery around the world."

How do you make sure you maintain the quality of the meat that you offer?

R: "I control all buying and sourcing within the company and it is probably the most time consuming and critical aspect of my role.

"I have built up relationships in the industry and locally over years and maintain many of the relationships my father and grandfather had, but I also look to the future, the world is changing and we need to be adaptable and change with it.

"I like to visit as many of the farms and suppliers that I can so I can genuinely provide my Customers with traceability."

Lockdown hit small businesses hard. How did it affect you?

R: "It's been a hard year for everyone for one reason or another.

"For me, the primary pressures were keeping my staff and customers safe and keeping supply chains going.

"I'm proud of the way Bevan's staff and customers have responded to the challenges this year.

"Having a fire at one of our sites in the midst of lockdown was an added challenge financially and personally. I have to say I am looking forward to a week or so off with my family at some point this summer and maybe even a BBQ!"

Your butchers has been around for coming up to 100 years. What's the biggest thing about the industry that has changed in that time?

R: "Refrigeration probably is one of the biggest changes!

"Efficiency in that area is a big hobby horse of mine, using technology to make our industry more efficient.

"Also, the way that people eat meat has changed, partly due to cheap, low welfare meat from supermarkets, but thankfully I think that is coming full circle and people are looking to companies like ours for something different."

In recent years we've seen a rise in vegetarianism and people choosing to eat less meat for reasons of sustainability. Has this affected your business, and if so in what ways?

R: "You'd be surprised by how many of our customers are vegetarian or vegan and shopping for family members who aren't.

"I don't think those movements are incompatible with our company and its values.

"If you are going to eat less meat, you want what you do eat to be honest, sustainable, high welfare and high quality.

"At our new Effingham branch we will be selling fruit and veg, and a range of fine foods so there will be something for everyone!"

Thank you to Robin for giving us an insight into Bevan's Butchers. We look forward to celebrating your 100th year in Kingston come 2029!

For more about the history of Bevan's Butchers in Kingston and the products they have on offer, visit their website

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