Break in abattoir service likely in May

A number of Orkney butchers are in discussions with Orkney Islands Council over the possibility of taking over the running of a scaled-down slaughtering facility in the county.

It would mean as close as possible to a continued abattoir service, run by a butchers’ co-operative, after the last scheduled slaughter takes place at Orkney Meat in the second week of May, providing beef, pork and lamb for the local market.

The taskforce of Orkney Islands Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Government officials met for the third time this week. It is looking at potential ways to reduce costs — so they are more proportionate to a smaller scale operation.

The OIC’s chief executive, Albert Tait, said it was the taskforce’s intention to provide an interim solution, from May to the end of September, this year, focusing on the needs of the local market but warned that there is likely to be a break in service of around two weeks during May, but the local butchers were aware of this, and would make every effort to maintain the supply of locally-produced meat during that period.