Butcher helps to carve out city bid
Bristol Evening Post, Jul 25 2002
!["Here, here" Abdul and the team butchers - Bristol 2008](javascript:imagePopup('images/250702l.jpg','"Here, here" Abdul and the team butchers - Bristol 2008','353','500');)
EASTON butcher Abdul Malik says there's plenty of meat in Bristol's bid to become European Capital of Culture.
Abdul, aged 28, and his staff, are appearing on a poster in support of the 2008 campaign.
He said: "I love Bristol and particularly Easton, which has a great vitality about it.
You walk down St Mark’s Road and there is so much going on and a great mix of cultures from across the world.
I have had many offers to move away and set up in business elsewhere, but there’s no way I could leave Bristol."
Abdul, who has lived in Easton all his life, bought out Pak Butchers in Roman Road, Easton, when he was 18, having worked there part-time since he was a schoolboy.
A year ago, Abdul, a father-of-three opened his second venture, Pak Foods in St Mark’s Road to meet the demand for his halal produce.
He now employs nine staff and is involved in the organisation of an Asian festival in Easton.
Abdul said: "Since the Bristol bid was launched I have had the opportunity to talk about what a great place this is.
"There is a real sense of pride that has been generated by the bid process.
"I have been involved with bringing some Asian acts over to Easton to perform and they have gone down extremely well with the whole community."