A team of local farmers and stakeholders by the name of the 'Save Long Compton Abattoir Steering Group' are working to secure funding following the announcement that Long Compton Abattoir (LCA) is due to close at the end of January 2024.
The abattoir, which is situated in the Cotswolds, currently has a customer base of over 900 with a turnover of £1 million, and is reportedly processing 25-30 cattle, 100 pigs and 180 lambs per week. It is working at reduced capacity, with the Steering Group claiming that there is "potential to increase this considerably with customer demand".
The Steering Group is seeking to attract "a combination of private and public funding" to purchase the Cotswold-based abattoir, reporting "significant momentum" to find a solution and "rescue this essential rural service".
On its website, the Group said: "Long Compton is one of the last small abattoirs in the region. Without a thriving local abattoir, our farm businesses, conservation work, meat retail, food system and rural economy all become less sustainable. Animal welfare is at risk and food miles will increase.
"With the future of all our other local abattoirs hanging in the balance, it is vital we ensure Long Compton remains in operation."
It has been proposed by the Group that a new limited company be set up and purchase of the site be funded. Interested parties are able to express their interest in purchasing shares of the site in multiples of £1000, with the Group stating that it "will need to raise in excess of £3 million, at pace" to be successful.
The Group said it will be hosting open evening so potential investors can "source more detail" about the project, its possible returns on investments and the next steps that can be taken.
More information can be found on the website here.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
