As the relentless remorseless grind of the growth of big supermarkets continues, the high street is being squeezed out and the traditional high street butcher is finding it harder to compete. I was therefore very heartened to hear that sales on the high street have surged over the last few months as the recession takes hold. Sandford & Fletcher is a prime example of what we would be sorely missing if the supermarkets took over the world. The butchers at my local Tesco clearly don’t have a clue what I’m talking about when I want specific cuts of meat for certain dishes. They don’t know about the provenance of their product either. Sandford & Fletcher were excellent when I needed a whole loin of lamb and knew how to prepare it for me to make it easier for stuffing. It tasted excellent, reflecting the quality of the meat. They’re also great for a wide variety of fresh sausages they make themselves. So support your local high street and get great value and service at the same time.