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Joe and his son Barry Steele |
Steeles gets the chop
THEY have served bangers and bacon, cuts, chops and chitterling to generations of Hampstead carnivores. But the venerated institution that is Steeles Butchers of Flask Walk is due to close after selling its last batch of Christmas turkeys.
Joe Steele, who set up the butchers in the mid1960s, has decided to retire at the end of December, saying goodbye to scores of valued customers including the likes of actors John Hurt, Robert Powell and Peter Barkworth.
When Steeles first opened, he recalls there being five other butchers in the neighbourhood.
He said: “There were more shops along Flask Walk when I started. There was a pharmacy, a greengrocer and a game restaurant. There were other butchers in the area – Heads, Druce and Craddock and Lidstones. They have now all gone.”
He said he would miss his customers, and the joviality of working with his staff. He said: “The Christmas queue has become famous for its socialability. A few weddings have resulted from a chance meeting in the queue and more than a few life-time friendships have sprung up while shoppers waited in line for their turkeys.”
He said he had noticed changes in the tastebuds of his customers.
“The customer has become more discerning over the years. We always try to sell the best of everything – free range, and knowing exactly where our meat is coming from.”
Now aged 73, Mr Steele says he is ready to retire. He said: “I have had enough now – I have been here for some time.”
He added that the rising cost of property in the area meant it was unlikely another butchers would be able to afford to set up shop.
He said: “Property here is worth so much I doubt another butcher would be able to afford to open in Hampstead nowadays.”
According to Linda Chung, chair of traders' and residents' pressure group HampsteadNW3, the loss of the butchers was a sad day for the village. She added that she would like to see new planning guidelines introduced to ensure shops that offer vital services were replaced like for like.
She said: “Shops like Steeles make Hampstead special. We ideally would like to see another butchers open there.”
Mrs Chung added that the idea of landlords letting out shops to the highest bidder was a false economy. She said: “In the long term if Hampstead loses shops like these people will stop coming here – and the rent prices will have to fall.”
Cookery writer Francis Bissell, who visits the shop regularly, praised Mr Steele. She said: “Hampstead is special to me because I am able to buy my ingredients from professionals like Mr Steele. It is such a treat to be able to buy meat from someone who knows his subject, who can tell you the age of the animal, where the lamb if from, how long the beef has been hung. If there were a register of authentic Hampstead treasures, Joe Steele would be top of the list.” |
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