A CHANGING of the guard is to take place at a popular Central Fife butchers after the current owner has decided to sell up after close to four decades running his shop.

William Stark has been resident butcher in Lochore for a total of 37 years but has confirmed he will step down in March when Tom Courts Butchers will take over.

Although not planning full retirement just yet, Wullie, 64, said he is looking forward to taking time for himself and his family.

Central Fife Times:

"I have sold the business but I am not exactly going to retire just yet. I am going to take a bit of time out for myself then I am going to look for a wee job," he said.

"I have been in the butchers' trade for 50 years. It is a bit surreal – I have been in that shop for 37 years. There's been a lot of deaths, bairns being born and a lot of them growing into adults.

"The business is a family concern. My daughter works with us and my sister in law and my brother. They have still go their jobs but we are looking forward to pastures new.

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"My wife takes care of all the paperwork. That has cushioned the blows for me. She did the books and one thing or another, so she is the brains!"

Central Fife Times:

Wullie said he and wife Mary are looking forward to life after the butchers.

"We are used to getting up at 4am so my wife and I are fairly looking forward to doing things in a different way. We will worry about different things," he added.

"The community has been really good with me so we will miss it."

Tom Courts Butchers announced their news that they would be taking over on their Facebook page, mentioning that Wullie was an apprentice of Tom's late father back in the early 1970s.

"My company will take over his business in early March 2024. His shop is the original Bayne’s Shop (Bakery Dynasty) who started out as butchers," he said.

"The shop has a huge prep/production facility attached and I will be moving my production team from our factory in Meadowfield, Burntisland, to Lochore, along with the online and wholesale elements of our company.

"With retail, production, online and wholesale under one roof we plan to be very busy there!"

The new owner paid tribute to his predecessor.

"Wullie Stark has been a pillar of the local community in Lochore and is very well respected by all who know him," he added. "I will seek to build on his good work and take the business forward to serve the local community as he has done for many years.

"I have admired his business for many years and I am grateful for the opportunity to take it on."