Why G Russell is sticking with tradition

Despite its location on the edge of the busy M4 corridor, Datchet is very quaint and 'old English' with its small business centre arranged around the village green.

With no Starbucks or Tesco Metro in sight, small independent stores predominate. A general grocery store houses the local post office and the village is even home to a milliner's. Local Morris Dancers gather on Boxing Day every year on the green for a sword dance and jamboree, while a cup of tea can be enjoyed in the ecumenical tea rooms for the princely sum of 25p.

However, the village is still a busy thoroughfare. Its accommodation, pubs and restaurants cater to both business people passing through - taking advantage of its proximity to the M4, M3 and M25 - and tourists, with Windsor only a few miles away.

Graham Russell's shop has been a butcher's for over 100 years. Currently nestled between a deli and sports shop, its store front is classic, simple and reflective of Graham's marketing philosophy - without fanfare or bells.

The only advertising he has embarked on is the side of his own delivery van, although the shop's details have yet to be added to his latest vehicle. "Word of mouth," is his only marketing strategy.

Leaving school 45 years ago, he entered the butchery trade, working for the former Reeves chain of a dozen or so shops before acquiring his own business. G Russell's manager, Derek Gaywood, had his own shop in Colnbrook for 50 years before he joined Graham, with whom he has worked for the past decade. "We've over 100 years of experience between us," says Graham.

Although the shop's high street location is on a busy traffic route, a lack of immediate parking has meant passing trade is minimal. The butchery business "has certainly changed over the 27 years I have been here," he says, referring to the supermarkets' rapid dominance of meat sales as consumers opt for convenience and the one-stop shop. "But we have a lot of loyal customers. There are not many independent butchers around these days but we seem to survive. Not everyone likes going to supermarkets."

G Russell's walk-in customers include many regulars, not just from Datchet but also the wider region, where butchers' shop numbers are dwindling. There was another butcher's in the village at one time but it closed some years ago. One recent competitive addition is the Windsor Farm Shop, which has been pulling in locals and tourists with its wide range of produce, including meat from animals raised on the Crown Estates, among other sources.

Concerns over the potential impact of the Farm Shop on his trade have been allayed, with its stock proving too pricey for many, however. "They come here as they know they're getting good product," says Graham. The shop also attracts a lot of Christmas-only trade. "I was always taught if you look after someone at Christmas, they'll look after you the rest of the year," he says, while adding that it can be frustrating when customers limit their visits to the holiday season.

Legislative changes have also brought in many new requirements for butchers during Graham's career but he has no complaints. "We have to do it," he says, referring to developments such as butchers' licensing and the introduction of HACCP plans, "and it's a good thing as a whole."

About 40 per cent of G Russell's trade goes into public and private sector catering establishments, and Graham personally delivers supplies within a roughly 10-mile radius. Clients range from Bishopsgate Prep School in Englefield Green to the five-star Runnymede Hotel, near Egham.

Shop stock is chiefly English and Scottish, with the occasional Brazilian strip loin thrown in to meet demand from the catering sector. Primal cuts of beef, lamb, pork and poultry are the mainstay, and Graham and Derek make their own sausages and burgers, while also buying in some flavoured burgers. With the deli shop located next door, ham is the only cooked product retailed by G Russell. The business also supplies whole pigs for hog roasts when demand dictates.

Graham's key supplier is G&E Meats of Smithfield Market, which delivers daily to his doorstop. Complimenting the meat range are packet sauces and marinades by Colemans and the Manchester Rusk Company, while further stock includes eggs and pre-packed olives. One surprise feature of Graham's old fashioned butchers' shop is a wide array of fruit and vegetables from carrots, salad ingredients and asparagus to apples and peaches, all handpicked by Graham at a regional fresh produce market. With the business ticking along nicely, his only plans are retirement in the next two to three years. The future of the shop after his departure is undecided at this point.

SHOP FACTS

Shop: G Russell - Datchet, Berkshire

Opening hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm; Saturday, 7am-3.30pm

Annual turnover: £200,000

Most popular cuts: minted lamb chops, rump and sirloin steaks, chicken breasts

Specialities: "Quality meat"

Staff: Two - Graham and full-time shop manager Derek Gaywood

Busiest times: Christmas and summer

Customer profile: Walk-ins, mostly regulars, account for 60 per cent of trade while the catering sector - including pubs, restaurants, hotels and schools - absorbs the remainder

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