A FAMILY run butchers in the city centre is celebrating after receiving a “brilliant” five star food hygiene rating.

Pritchett the Butcher, on Fish Row, was awarded the highest rating by Wiltshire Council’s environmental health team this week.

Director Charles Aldridge, who has worked in the shop on and off since the age of 11, said it was “brilliant” to receive the new rating, which had come about as a result of “compromising” on the shop’s traditional features.

As previously reported in the Journal, Pritchetts received a one-star rating in July, which owner Mark put down to changes in “modern legislation” for his “traditional” butchers.

Charles said previously his father, Mark, had been “adamant about keeping it old fashioned”, including keeping original tiles from 1927 and wooden surface blocks.

He said, on the food standards agency’s advice, they had installed some metal and plastic panels on the walls, for easier cleaning, but had been allowed to keep some original features.

Owner Mark said he would be “displaying our certificate proudly” and said he was pleased Pritchetts could now “legitimately claim” to be a “five star family butcher”.

“If the meat you buy has ‘Pritchett’ on the label you can be assured that it is of five star quality, from a five star butcher with a five star rating,” he said.

“Serving our loyal customers high quality meat has always been our priority and always will be.”

Pritchetts has been serving customers in Salisbury for more than 150 years and three generations of Mark’s family, including his parents and his younger son Tom, work in the shop.