Butcher to hang up his apron after 50 years working in Leamington and Warwick

A butcher who has worked in Leamington and Warwick for 50 years is set to hang up his apron.

Doug Cleary will be soon be retiring from The Artisan Butcher in Brook Street, Warwick. In the run up to Christmas, he will be working some part time hours, which will also give him a chance to say goodbye to his faithful customers who have known him for many years.

When he was still at school, he worked Saturdays and evenings at Frank Tasker’s Butchers in Bath Street, Leamington, and then started as an Apprentice at Harold Poole’s Butcher in Lillington, before going back to Frank Tasker’s full time and then Alf Jones’ Butchers in Clemens Street in Leamington.

Fifteen or so years ago Doug joined Terry Dyer’s Rump’s Butchers in Warwick which has now become The Artisan Butcher in the same location.

Doug has seen huge changes in the meat industry over his career, but he says he still believes there’s a place for a local butcher, offering good meat and good service.

Doug’s grandson Aaron Cleary is now following in the family footsteps as this year he’s completed his Butchery Apprenticeship and is employed by The Artisan Butcher as well.

For Terry Dyer, owner of The Artisan Butcher, Doug’s retirement marks a changing of the guard.

He said: “Doug is the heart and soul of our butchers in Warwick’s Brook Street.

"He has a loyal following with all our customers and knows what they all like to buy and he has many friends.

“We’re not letting him hang up his apron completely though, as we’re going to open on a Sunday and a Monday morning from November 26 when Doug will be in his usual place behind the counter.

“We’re also planning to work with him to develop his own signature cure on our home-made bacon and we’ll be planning on launching the ‘Cleary Cure’ early in the New Year, which we hope will be a fitting legacy to recognise Doug’s amazing career.”