Sliding sales see top butcher go bust

Wolverhampton." class="imageframe imgalignright" height="130" src="http://www.expressandstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/wd2839744avion-1-gd-06.thumbnail.jpg" width="175"/>An award-winning Wolverhampton butcher has gone bankrupt just days before collecting his latest honour.

John Callinswood was given just 30 minutes' notice by the official receiver to shut down his shop over a large unpaid tax bill he had run up as he struggled to save his business. Days later the 56-year-old was in London to be presented with an award from the British Pig Executive for his pork, stilton and spring onion sausages which were chosen among seven finalists in the prestigious national championships.

Married father-of-one Mr Callinswood, who has been a butcher for 40 years, won a string of accolades including Best Midland Pork Pie during a decade of running the Avion Food Hall in Bargate Drive, Whitmore Reans, where the shutters are now down for good.

It is understood the unpaid tax bill totalled tens of thousands of pounds built up over five years.

Today he said he was "devastated" when ordered to close. "My livelihood and three part-time jobs disappeared with just half-an-hour's notice," he revealed.

"We had numerous awards proving that the shop was selling the best quality produce but it still did not succeed.

"Trade had dropped by a third in the past five years as the character of the area and its needs changed. We were a top quality English butchers and fewer and fewer of the people moving into the area were interested in that, which is a sad fact of life."

Mr Callinswood, who still lives above the shop he had to close, said his customers were "the salt of the earth" but there were not enough of them to keep him going.

"The suppliers were all paid and the customers were looked after but the falling sales did not leave enough money to pay my tax," he said. "It is soul destroying."

Since shutting down three weeks ago, Mr Callinswood has now joined the staff at Poxons in Windmill Lane, Castlecroft.

Shirley Oates, chair of the Three Streets Tenants Association based in Whitmore Reans, said today: "He will be sadly missed in this area. He was always caring to his customers and generous to local charities."