MEAT NW5

By the summer of 2013 we had decided that it was time to grow our company. Our Senior Team had been with us since opening and there was a general feeling that everybody wanted to ‘spread their wings’. We had been looking around North London when we were offered the opportunity to take the space on Fortess Road that has now become Meat NW5. We opened on March 4th at 11am and the first customers were waiting on the doorstep, to be first. We survived a first weekend scare when smoked billowed into the shop from a next door electrical fire. The fire brigade evacuated us on our first weekend!!

We knew that there were positive plans for retail trade on Fortess Road and during our first year exciting new food businesses arrived in the street and the area is now vibrant and buzzing. The locals too have enjoyed the new found vibrancy and have embraced Meat NW5.

The shop was developed along the lines of its grown up sister in Stoke Newington. The clean white tiled walls, the black slate tiled floors and the hanging pendant lights down the middle of the shop help to achieve the company aims of portraying an old fashioned shop in a modern setting. With more space available we were able to be a bit more inventive with our displays and offer. Our Scotch Beef and our English Lamb, Pork and Poultry again fill our fridges and, as always, the sausage machine is rarely idle. We now have the space for a separate ‘Deli’ section and our first serve over counter. Cooked hams, air-cured hams, Bresaola and Rare Roast Beef sit alongside salami, Terrines, Rillettes and pies. We linked up with Chef Dharam Ramlogan to produce Scotch Eggs, Fish Cakes, Quiches, Tarts, Arancini and so much more. Customers entering the shop are confronted by our ever expanding range of British an International cheeses supported by an extensive range of cheese accompaniments and breads.

On this occasion our wine wraps itself around the back walls. An eclectic selection from around the world rises from floor to ceiling, each wine labelled with a suggested meat match. Gessica is on hand to talk customers through our selection, recommend something for the weekend and encourage copious tastings.