Former Bishop Auckland Butchers' Shop Listed
A former butchers in Bishop Auckland been listed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England, giving it greater protection and recognition.
Family business Gregory’s butchers was established in Bishop Auckland in about 1850 and by 1881 it had taken up residence at 103-105 Newgate Street in the town. Built in the mid-19th century, these premises were converted during the late-19th and early-20th century to create a double fronted shop with a pork business on the left and a beef business on the right. A series of outbuildings were arranged around a rear yard containing a slaughterhouse and boiling house to make tallow for candles and soap.
The building has been listed in recognition of its architectural significance and retains many of the shop’s original features. These include a colourful stained window in the shop front, as well as handsome interior tiling depicting country scenes with cattle. Steel rails attached to the ceiling for the easy manoeuvring of meat around the shop have also survived.
After 170 years, Gregory’s is still in business today but now operates as a bakery and a delicatessen out of the right side of the building. The left side of the site is currently vacant.
Butchers used to be common on the high-street but are becoming increasingly rare. While Gregory’s has changed its business over the years, it has retained a lot of the character of the original early-20th-century butchers shop and, as such, adds much to the special heritage of Bishop Auckland’s historic town centre.
The listing of the shop forms part of the work of the Bishop Auckland Heritage Action Zone. This partnership scheme between Historic England and Durham County Council aims to regenerate the town’s historic centre and make it a vibrant place to live and visit.
