It will be the end of an era in Clayton when the last butcher’s shop closes in August – unless a buyer steps in to take over the business.

John Summers and his wife, Karen, have run the busy John Summers Butchers shop since 1992 but are calling it a day in a little over six months time.

Prior to opening the shop in Druid Street, Mr Summers had a butcher’s stall in Rawson Market, in Bradford, from 1982 and had worked in the trade since 1974.

“I’ve loved the job but I am 60 now and after working 60 or 70 hours a week for all these years we have both decided to retire while we can still enjoy life."

Karen is 58 now and has worked just as hard, helping in the shop, bringing up three children and doing all the book work.

“Ideally we would like the business to sell as a going concern but after three years of putting the word around that we would eventually be calling it a day, there have been absolutely no enquiries. No one seems to want to run a butcher’s shop any more.

“It will be a pity for the village if we have to sell up without the business carrying on because we are the last of five butchers to go from around here.

"It is amazing to think there were so many supported in the past, but supermarkets have taken over most of the trade.

“We are still busy with two part-time staff and each Monday I go to Otley market to buy my meat. I’ve always gone there.”

The couple’s three children: Jack, 26, Maxine, 30, and Miles, 22, occasionally help out but each have full time jobs and do not want to go into the business full-time.

“Our customers have become our friends over the years.

"We still get customers coming to us who used to shop with us in Rawson Market.

"I feel we have been faithful to them and they have been faithful to us.”

Some residents we only see once a year when they order their Christmas meat but we are grateful to them for their custom.

“You really can’t blame them for the convenience of supermarkets. Their meat is good though often people don’t realise that your local butcher is generally cheaper and can offer more variety and helpful advice.”

Mr and Mrs Summers have both been involved in village life over the past 27 years.

They have been nominees of a Community Stars Award, an annual event organised through the Telegraph & Argus and Bradford Council, through their work with Clayton Dickensian Market into the lead up to Christmas each year, running the barbecue and accepting donations for the bric-a-brac stall in their shop.

They also give food to the homeless and go out of their way delivering to customers.

Mr Summers attends the regular Clayton community groups for the updates within the area and also the police meetings in Clayton.

“We will be sad to leave the shop but will be living not too far away and will remain in Clayton.”

Mr Summers said he will not be idle for long and after a holiday will start to look for something to occupy his time.

The business and property is being sold through Ernest Wilson Business Agents.