Interview: Stephen Prince, Village Butcher

It has probably not escaped your notice, but our village butcher has changed.

Stephen Prince outside his High Street shop. Photo by Janice Worgan

Last October, Graham Turner left the High Street shop in the very capable hands of Stephen Prince, the new owner of Prince and Sons, Family Butcher.

Graham had finally decided, after more than a year of consideration, to sell the Horsell business and to concentrate on his Pyrford shop, his family and his health. I’m certain that I am one of many who wish him well in the future and will miss his friendly face and chatter.

However, Stephen is an experienced butcher who is just as friendly and brings to Horsell a fresh and keen personality befitting a traditional butcher, along with much the same produce and high quality goods as we expect.

Stephen is a local lad, living in Knaphill with his wife, two teenage sons and their dog. He told me that he started working in a butcher’s shop at age 15½ at Dewhurst’s (I can still remember the shop) in Woking and knew immediately what profession he wanted to learn. He continued his training and worked for an independent butcher for 18 years before setting up his own shop when one was offered to him in Midhurst.

His business continued to thrive, but after 15 years of the journey to and from Midhurst and a realistic appraisal of how he saw his  family’s future, he was over the moon (with the cow) when the prospect of owning the shop in Horsell came up in 2010.

“I have been here just a few months and I really enjoy the fact that Horsell retains a good village atmosphere with such a variety of  customers to meet,” he told me.

He is now well settled in to the task of offering free range meat, an array of delicatessen goods, game and eggs, as many products as possible sourced from local suppliers, as well as an excellent individual service, particularly if advice is sought in how to prepare or cook certain cuts of meat. Stephen and his staff are always willing to impart their cooking tips so that you can enjoy the food at its best.

In addition I was surprised to learn that Stephen organises hog roasts and that he has also rubbed shoulders with the some of the more famous members of society. “I have lots of funny stories I could tell about some of the hog roasts and barbeques I have organised for the celebrities. But most of the time the fun has been in the ordinary interaction between the people serving the food and the guests’ appreciation of it.”

We are lucky to have a committed and enterprising new butcher and I am sure many local residents sampled the burgers and hot dogs he and his team provided at the Jubilation.

For further information on Prince and Sons, Family Butcher, produce or services please call in, ring 01483 767114, or visit the website www.princeandsons.co.uk.

Janice Worgan