BUTCHER Jim Laird has become the first butcher in east Cleveland to receive a licence under a new Government scheme for licensing butchers shops.
Mr Laird has been a butcher for 45 years and he and his wife Irene took over Bells Butchers, in North Road, Loftus, 15 years ago.
He is a former president of the Northern Council of Butchers and an Executive member of the National Federation of Meat and Food Traders.
The annual licence is aimed at achieving higher standards of food safety and has been welcomed by butchers and officers from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
Mr Laird said: "I think it is an excellent idea and should have been brought in years ago."
The council has organised a seminar and training course for the borough's butchers and hopes all 37 butchers will be fully licensed by next month
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