BUTCHERS Gilbert Mills and Dennis Sheppard hang up their aprons for the last time on Saturday, when Ramsbury's only butchers shop shuts its doors.

The closure of Mills butchers shop, which the pair have been running in partnership, will mean Ramsbury being without a butchers shop for the first time in living memory.

The business was started by Mr Mills' late parents, Douglas and Margaret, in 1938.

Gilbert Mills joined his father in the business in 1968, having worked previously in the motor trade.

Mr Sheppard was already working at the shop. When it closes he will have notched up 48-and-a-half years' service, or 50 years if his service as a butcher's boy is included.

Mr Mills reaches retirement age next month and Mr Sheppard is 65 in 15 months so the pair have decided to call it a day.

Mr Mills said: "We are getting to the stage where, besides our retirement, a lot of the equipment would have to be replaced."

He said he and his wife Peggy decided against selling the shop because they live above it it and did not want to move.

The butchers will be holding a reunion at the shop on August 11 for all the past and present butcher's boys and girls.

Mr Mills said: "The idea came from one of our former butcher boys and we have counted well over 60 who plan to come along."

When Mr Sheppard started at the shop they still slaughtered some animals behind the High Street shop.

One thing which has not changed throughout the shop's history is the delivery bike. It is the same one which delivered meat around the village when Mr Mills' father started the business.