Edinburgh butchers with award-winning pies suddenly closes, leaving locals gutted

Albert Street Butchers, on Albert Street in Leith, pulled down the shutters for the final time this week, with a note attached to the shopfront that reads: “This shop is now permanently closed due to rising costs etc”.

The butchers first opened in 1982 and was run by Graham Cherrie until his retirement in 2022 when Scott Millar took the reins.

Locals have expressed their sadness at the shop's sudden closure, with one gutted customer even attaching a thank-you note to the shopfront.

It reads: “Sorry to see you go! All the best in the future. Thanks for everything Scott & Graham. Thanks for all the pies, the beef links, the haggis, & all the good stuff. Thank you for the friendly service. You'll be sorely missed. All the best, boys. Belinda and Michael.”

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Speaking to the Evening News in June 2023, Mr Millar labelled on-going roadworks outside his shop ‘a final nail in the coffin’ for business – and said traders affected by the maintenance work were not being ‘treated fairly’ by being denied compensation.

Explaining that his profits were down by 30 per cent fron the previous year due to a lack of passing trade brought on by construction works, he said: “We’re all stressed out down here. It’s really affected my business and the businesses beside me.

“They’ve changed the completion date four or five times and now I’m hearing that they’re going to be here until July next year. This is going to be a nail in the coffin for me. I’m using my own personal money now to try and keep the place afloat – it’s just a nightmare.”