Farmers rally for £3m funding to save local abattoir

A group of farmers is appealing for a £3m investment to save the Cotswold-based Long Compton Abattoir, which is set to close later this month.

The abattoir has served farmers in the Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire areas since the 1920s, and has become a vital service for the local rural communities, with a customer base of more than 900 farmers.  

Local farmers have set up the “Save Long Compton Abattoir Steering Group” in a bid to save the business, with hopes of attracting private and public funding to acquire the freehold site and abattoir.

See also: Up to £60,000 grant offer to upgrade small abattoirs

In a written statement, the group said the closure would have a negative impact on farming businesses, affecting both food miles and sustainability.

“Without a thriving local abattoir, our farm businesses, conservation work, meat retail, food system and rural economy all become less sustainable,” the group said.

“With the future of all our other local abattoirs hanging in the balance, it is vital we ensure Long Compton remains in operation.”

The group intends to sell shares in multiples of £1,000, setting up a new limited company to fund the purchase of the business and premises, which is expected to cost in excess of £3m.

The steering group is currently welcoming expressions of interest.