End of an Era for T Baillie and Sons
For 137 years, T Baillie and Sons has served locals, tourists, and even one particularly persistent seagull in the seaside town of Saltcoats, Ayrshire. Now, the award-winning butcher's shop is preparing to close as its current owner, James Baillie, decides to retire.
James Baillie, aged 65, is the fourth generation of his family to manage the business. He feels the time is right to step away and focus on his family, especially since his three sons have pursued careers outside the butchery trade. This weekend will mark the end of the shop, which was established in 1889—the same year the Eiffel Tower was constructed.
"My dad was 65 when he passed the shop to me, and I'm 65 now, so that felt like a wee omen,"James told BBC Scotland News during a Thursday afternoon as business slowed.
James began working in the shop as a teenager, but the business was already well-established by then. His great-grandfather, Thomas Baillie, founded the shop on Green Street in Saltcoats before it later relocated to Dockhead Street.
Thriving Business Through the Years
When James started, the business was flourishing, serving locals from the Three Towns—Saltcoats, Ardrossan, and Stevenston—as well as tourists who visited during the annual Glasgow Fair summer break.
"It was chaotic back in the day, you'd be queued out the door,"he recalled.
"You couldn't see across the street during the summer, when you had tourists coming in. The Glasgow Fair would have people just piling off the trains in the morning and then piling back on at night, and it was great to see."
Although James initially intended to study mathematical sciences, he was called upon to help run the shop when his father, also named Thomas, fell ill. What was meant to be a six-month stint became a lifelong career.
"I was just a poor student and I found myself getting a weekly wage. I found myself staying on.
"I was thrown in the deep end a bit, but we had about 12 staff then and I gradually learned as I went along."
At one time, Saltcoats had about six butchers competing in the area. Following James's retirement, only one butcher will remain to serve the community.
Changing Customer Demographics and Optimism for the Future
Despite challenges faced by the butchery trade, James remains optimistic about its future, noting a recent trend of younger customers in their 20s visiting the shop.
"Over the past couple of years there has been a wee trend of younger people in their 20s coming in,"he observed.
"You have to try and help them with the cooking instructions, but the fact they're coming into a butcher's is encouraging.
"Ten years ago that wasn't happening and it was firmly middle-aged people and upwards, but people are maybe getting wise to the fact that while supermarkets are convenient, the meat isn't what they want."
Many customers have been familiar faces for years. James recalls how the shop used to give sweets to children waiting with their parents, who are now adults bringing their own families to the store.
Since announcing his retirement, James has been touched by the kind messages and gifts he has received, ranging from drinks to Australian dollars for a planned holiday to visit his eldest son living there.
During the BBC Scotland News interview, several shoppers stopped by to wish James well. One woman expressed concern about where she will now buy her steak pies for the Christmas and New Year holidays.
There is also a well-known regular customer—a hungry seagull affectionately named "Steven Seagull" by the staff.
"We all call him Steven Seagull,"James laughed.
"A few years back he started coming to the door every morning, and he gets a few morsels. Then he comes back about 5pm, when the shop closes and gets another few – he won't let any other gull come near here, as this is his patch.
"He won't walk on the marble flooring so he just stands at the front door and wait for morsels. I've no idea what he'll think when I close the doors!"
Passing the Torch and Looking Ahead
Aside from disappointing Steven Seagull, James feels retiring now is the right decision. He never wanted to pressure his three sons—Martin, Nathan, and Adam—to take over the family business.
"They all did a bit in here at school when they were growing up, getting pocket money for doing the dishes and things like that.
"But when it came to leaving school they all had designs on their own fields and I would never have told them they must come in and be obliged to work here.
"It's long hours being a butcher and I'd like to spend time with my family. I'm a bit apprehensive, but it's the right thing to do."
James's wife of 42 years, Pauline, has been a great support, especially during the busy Christmas season when she helped with orders.
"Every Christmas she would go through the order book each time, then we would put them all out in alphabetical order the following day.
"She said at Christmas just there that it was so hectic that it was going to be her last Christmas doing this – and it was!"
Although the Baillie family’s direct involvement is ending, James hopes the shop itself may continue as a butcher’s under new ownership.
"Hopefully someone might come along that would be interested in taking on the shop.
"Saltcoats is a busy wee town, and I think there's still a market for a butcher."
