Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2010 | Page 155

food Island Life - August/September 2010 The olde traditional village butcher still exists on the Island! Peter White talks to Graham Hawkins a devoted local village butcher in Bembridge who has taken Woodford's into the next generation. Graham Hawkins once worked as a taken to Dorset for slaughter ‘target’ for a knife-throwing act in a before being returned. travelling circus. Thankfully for the residents of Woodford’s do their own home-cooked meats, dry-cured Bembridge and beyond, Graham now bacon, and a variety of prefers to have a knife in his hand home-made sausages, including rather than have them thrown around such exotic flavours as whisky him. After working behind the counter and apricot. Recently pork at W.W. Woodford and Son butchers for sausages from the Tamworth pig 18 years, he bought the business just breed have come on to the High over a year ago. Street shop’s counter in Bembridge. Graham served his butchering “We also do our own pies, including apprenticeship at Baxter’s in Ryde, and pork pies. That way we know what is in also worked in Newport and Freshwater. them,” said Graham, who combines his Then he changed direction by joining butcher’s business with a delicatessen up with a mainland theatre group that on the same premises. Kebabs, cheeses once did a summer season in Ryde, and pickles are among many other tasty working behind the scenes, before goods available. becoming their stage manager. He then joined a circus troupe in “At one time you could just be a butcher, but you cannot do that Cheshire, looking after ponies, and anymore; you have to open up being the knife-thrower’s target, before otherwise you wouldn’t survive,” he returning unscathed to butchering at continued: “I think a butcher’s shop is important in village life. It's like the local pub, you have to keep that village tradition, and serve the people who live here.” Because of its already excellent reputation Graham did not want to change too much about Woodford’s when he took over. But one of his new ideas is the ‘Pie in the Box’ which makes for much easier carrying. Certainly a far better idea than having knives thrown at you! several other Island locations before moving to Bembridge. When previous owner Peter Arnold retired after 45 years, Graham took over Woodford’s, maintaining the high standard it has been renowned for since being established in 1903. “It was always in the back of my mind that I would like to be my own boss one day. But another reason I took over was because I just didn’t want to see it close, and throw away everything that had been built over the years,” he said. Much of Graham’s meats, including some beef and lamb, are Island produced, but he also b W