Mary's Meats, based in Market Drayton Indoor Market are closing down for good on 3rd August, after seventy years of business. We talk to Mary and her customers about the impact the closure will have on the area, and Mary's plans for the future.
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00:00Okay Mary, so we're in the indoor market at Market Drayton, Mary's Meats, how long have you been going?
00:09About 38 years personally, the family 70.
00:14Goodness me, so 70 years the family business has been going.
00:18My dad used to be in the Shambles and before that it was my cousins.
00:23And it's the 3rd of August that you're closing for good, how do you feel?
00:27Sad, an end of an era really.
00:32I can't put it into words, you'll make me cry in a minute.
00:37But it must have really been a difficult decision.
00:40It's been a very hard decision, because customers are like friends, we know them by name,
00:45we know what's up with them if they've been on holiday, if they've been in hospital, it's just a way of life really.
00:53Absolutely, I was just going to say it must become a way of life really.
00:56It's coming to an end.
00:58Very sad, there's been some good comments from the customers.
01:01I've got lovely customers, very supportive, they are, but no.
01:08I just can't put it into words because the more I think about it, the more it's getting closer,
01:14and I will be very very upset.
01:17Don't come down on Saturday 3rd, because I'll just be a puddle on the floor where I've been crying.
01:23Have you got any plans for the future at all?
01:25Yes, we're restarting Mary Rose Cakes when we come back off holiday at the end of August,
01:31so that will hopefully take off.
01:34A nice kind lady on the Sue's Plants, she said she will sell them when I come back off holiday.
01:41Well that's good then, that's positive.
01:43And then I've got a friend Sally, she's the Yummy Box Chocolate, she's coming in here and she's going to be selling the cakes.
01:50Brilliant.
01:51So market Drayton will be with cake.
01:53Fantastic, well all the best for the future anyway.
01:56Thank you very much.
01:57How does it feel to see Mary going?
01:59I think it's very sad, it really is sad.
02:02The market is just picking up, we've got a really lively crowd,
02:06and Mary and her husband and staff will be sadly missed.
02:11So how long have you been coming here as a customer?
02:13Not as long as she's been going, about 30 years.
02:18Yeah, goodness me, it's a long time.
02:21I've only lived out here 30 years, but you find out from local people where the best food is,
02:28and Mary's ham and pies absolutely must have.
02:34She'll be a big loss to leave.
02:35She absolutely will.
02:36I know people, and certainly people a little older than me,
02:39who make a special effort to come down here on a Wednesday, particularly for her goodies.
02:46It's a shame really, because they've been part of the market from Wednesday to Saturday as long as I can remember.
02:50I work with Chris at Pale Porch as well, so I know.
02:52So you think they'll be a big loss to the area?
02:54Definitely, yeah.
02:56How long have you been a customer?
02:58Not all the time, because if I'm in town I'll always pop in and try and get something.
03:03I used to like the pork scratchings.
03:05It's good quality meat.
03:08So yeah, they'll be missed.