Brian Stanton

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Summary

Based on the interview recorded on 7 September 2011. It reflects the interviewee’s life and memories at that time.

Brian Stanton has been a familiar face in Fownhope since 1986, when he joined Philip Pritchard’s butcher shop, eventually taking it over in 1996. Born in Allensmore in 1965, Brian left school at 15 and trained as a butcher through hands-on experience, first at Jack Palmer’s in Hereford and later at H.J. Edwards in Abergavenny. He brought a more modern approach to cutting and displaying meat, helping to evolve the traditional methods used at the Fownhope shop.

Initially part of a team of eight, Brian saw the business adapt over time. At its peak, the shop operated three delivery vans, serving customers across a 10-mile radius. When Philip Pritchard retired, he offered the business to the staff, and with support from Ruth—whom Brian met on a delivery round—the couple took over. Ruth, a vegetarian, runs the admin side of the business and was instrumental in enabling the purchase of both the shop and the house.

Through BSE and foot-and-mouth crises, Brian maintained strong relationships with suppliers and customers, emphasising traceability and trust. He’s proud of the shop’s five-star hygiene rating and ongoing improvements to equipment and facilities. The shop continues to sell beef, pork, lamb, venison, and game, and customers have become more informed about cuts and cooking, partly thanks to television chefs.

Today, the business employs four people. Their sons, Ashley and Daniel, both attended local schools, but haven’t followed in their father’s footsteps. Brian enjoys fishing in his spare time and remains passionate about providing quality meat to the community. He calls Fownhope a “lovely village” and feels privileged to continue the butchery tradition in a place that welcomed and supported him from the start.