Shop is at the heart of the community
Bristol Evening Post, Dec 3 2003
WHEN abdul Malik took over Pak Butchers in Roman Road, Easton, 13 years ago, he can have had little idea of just how much impact his business venture would have.
For he was just 18 years old at the time and the butcher's shop was where he has worked part-time since he was a schoolboy.
Today, Pak Butchers has become a focal point for the community, sorting out more than just the costomers' culinary requirements but also their problems as well.
"A lot of our time is spend dealing with the community" says Abdul. "People respect and trust us and know that we are used to dealing with officials so they come to us for help."
Indeed throughout this interview his telephone rang incessantly, not just wholesalers and customers but local people wanting advice on almost every conceivable subject.
Abdul says he is now used to sorting out airline tickets, people's problems in sending money abroad and even helping customers wanting to arrange for the body of a departed loved one to be returned for burial in Pakistan.
He is also heavily involved in organising many of the Asian events and festivals in this vibrant part of the city.
At the moment Pak Butchers is preparing for a huge amount of work involved in the traditional Eid-ul-Adha festival, which celebrates the sacrifice to God by Abraham (Ibrahim) of a lamb.
It was no surprise then that Abdul Malik and his team of butchers were chosen to appear on a poster in support of Bristol's bid to become European Capital of Culture, nor that they were singled out for one of the first BEST (Bristol East Side Traders) Business of the Year award.
The shops has recently been awarded a City Council contract to supply schools and other organisations.
Pak Butchers, and Pak Foods which he opened two years ago in nearby St Mark's Road and which sells a wider range of doofs, has also gained a reputation across the country as one of the most respected suppliers of halal fresh and frozen meat and poultry. It was recently nominated for a prestigue Inner City 100 award and is the subject of a Channel 5 documentary being broadcast next month
Its private customers come from all over the region, from Abergavenny to Swindon, while they have restaurant, takeaway, nursing homes, clubs, butchers and other catering industry customers located all over the country.
Pak Butchers has also been instrumental in improving the standards and quality of halal meat in Britain, they were one of the first businesses to insist that all their suppliers use properly refridgerated transport and their insistence on hygiene and health standards and training are legendary in the industry.