A proposal to close St Andrews abattoir to make way for a hotel and food store ”defies logic” and could put hundreds of livelihoods at risk, according to a leading Fife farmer.
Tom Mitchell, chairman of Fife Farmers’ Market and director of Auchtertool’s Puddledub Pork, told The Courier the abattoir provides the ”fundamental cornerstone of the whole concept of local food for local people”, and should be retained.
Ashleigh (St Andrews) Limited, sister company of leading construction firm Ashleigh Scotland, has announced plans for a Premier Inn and a new quality food store rumoured to be for Marks and Spencer and its Simply Food brand at the site in Largo Road, which is at present occupied as an abattoir and operated by a local firm.
The plan would see the buildings demolished and the site redeveloped.
While no planning application has yet been lodged, the developers are keen to hear the views of local people and organisations and have this week embarked on a pre-planning application consultation exercise, including meeting with St Andrews Community Council, holding public exhibitions and organising a letter drop across the town.
Mr Mitchell said: ”It has been reported that the building and the business which it transacts is now redundant and crying out for redevelopment. This is not the case.
”The premises operate to the exacting standards set by the Meat Hygiene Service and currently comply with all its obligations.
”The abattoir provides the fundamental cornerstone of the whole concept of local food for local people. There are 24 high street butcher shops in Fife, Perthshire and Angus, seven farm shops, five farmers’ market stallholders all of whom currently have their animals processed at St Andrews.
”These businesses currently employ a total of 184 persons whose livelihoods are directly connected to the abattoir. In addition the abattoir employs five permanent staff.”
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Mr Mitchell added: ”Don’t forget also the haulage companies who deliver to and from the facility. Note that the development expects only to create 80 full and part-time jobs. To close this business to make way for Premier Inn and another supermarket defies logic.
”I am sure the St Andrews bed and breakfast industry may be concerned at the arrival of Premier Inn. How much income will they lose per year?
”A choice has to be made by Fife Council planners. Either support a chain hotel and supermarket or to support the difficult and unglamorous, but key activities of this abattoir, which underpins a multiplicity of individual high quality privately owned businesses which have helped to turn food from Fife into one of the jewels in the crown of our highly successful Scottish food industry.”
George J Deans, a director of St Andrews abattoir, said that during the last few years the meat industry has gradually contracted.
He said: ”The reduced throughput of the abattoir has fallen to such a level it is becoming harder and harder to sustain a suitable service and maintain the property to an acceptable level we now have only 13 customers.”
Scott Jarron is a shareholder in St Andrews abattoir and a partner in Dundee’s Scott Brothers butchers, which is also the biggest customer at the St Andrews slaughterhouse.
He told The Courier no concrete offer had yet been made for the site. However, development of the century-old abattoir could not be ruled out.
He said: ”The abattoir will run as a viable business for the foreseeable future because nothing has been signed, sealed or delivered.”
Proposals can be viewed at St Andrews library on Saturday from 10am-4.45pm.