Butcher Peter gives career the chop after 42 years

Popular Hellesdon butcher Peter Toombs is hoping that the world will be his oyster after announcing plans to retire.

Peter, 55, has been working for the family business for 42 years as man and boy –  and travelling far and wide will be top of his agenda, once the Reepham Road venture is sold.

“It’s really just time to move on. I have done six days week for a good long time. It’s time to take a step back and do all the things that I couldn’t do because I was tied to the shop,” he said.

“ I feel there is a need for young fresh eyes to take it on and continue. It’s up for sale and hopefully it’s an ideal fit for someone.

“We have had a little bit of interest which is good – but it’s about trying to find that someone who wants to pay the price and make sure that the business carries on so that everyone knows what they are doing.”

Peter began working in the shop aged 13, at weekends and in school holidays. He eventually took over the reins when his father Kenneth decided to take a step back in 2007. His father passed away aged 70 in 2009 shortly after giving up doing a day a week in the shop.

Kenneth, who used to run the meat counter in the local Spar store, had bought the Reepham Road business in 1982 from Douglas Barratt, who had been running the shop since the mid-1950s.

Peter said: “It’s been hard work but you get the benefits from hard work. I’ll miss seeing the customers come through – and those one to one relationships you have with them. A lot of generations of families have come through. I’ve seen some great people in the world – the shop is a little community where people do chat.”

Travel is top of the agenda for Peter, who wants to visit several countries with his wife Jasmine, and get out more on his motorbike with friends.

“Jasmine and I want to visit places such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore , Japan. We can’t do that and spend the time we need to spend there if you have got a shop.