I have now collated data for over 30 abattoirs.
The following list is from views on 5 forums, and is by its nature subjective.
If you would like to support a view, let me know and I'll add to the number of views, and if you have a different view I add to the comments.
I hope it is useful to forum users.
Aberdeenshire Inverurie Scotch Premier Meat Ltd. No. views 1
Comments- They've just scaled backed their pig slaughtering due to a huge decline in the number of pigs being produced up here. They only do pigs for a couple of hours on a Friday morning now.They're prone to mistakes: like forgetting to deliver the carcasses to the butcher, like "forgetting" the pluck or the trotters, like forgetting to split the carcass and remove the head (it's sodding hard work carrying a 61kg pig carcass, on your shoulder, almost 100 metres from truck to butcher's shop), like miscalculating the bill, and like delivering the wrong carcasses to the wrong customers—despite very clear slapmarks plus vast differences in carcass size and quality. Scotch Premier don't do butchering. And good livestock handling is too dependent on the individual doing lairage—there's an excellent older chap who can sweet-talk the most recalcitrant pig or steer but there is another who, well, let's just say I disagree with his methods.
So, not exactly a recommendation!
Bedfordshire Bedford Evans & Son No. views 1
Comments- 1/10 -not recommend
Cambridgeshire Kimbolton H J Hellet No. views 1
Comments+ would recommend
Cambridgeshire Wisbech N V Gagen No. views 1
Comments+ book well in advance
Ceredigion Tregaron Cig Oen Caron No. views 2
Comments+ Always helpful, very small, and they do cut. 10/10 (apart from the Ministry Vet who insists on Trichinella tests on nearly every pig I take), but they are near capacity so if you want your meat cut, you have to book well in advance (nearly full for C, sorry, that event towards the end of December!).
Cornwall Penryn R J Trevarthen No. views 1
Comments+ 9/10 (I'd give 10 but I think their sausage making is a bit expensive!) Its a family run concern that has expanded in the last couple of years given the popularity of private kills Pigs taken on Monday and Wednesdays
Everyone was very helpful - no hullaballoo, and we weren't hurried at any point.
They have a full butchery service - the butcher operates on site and you can ask for any variation of cuts you want - the butcher Peter was very helpful for us as a couple of Newbies. They will also cure meat
Cumbria Grange Over Sands H C Airey No. views 1
Comments+ would recommend
Derbyshire Glossop J W Mettrick No. views 1
Comments+ really nice and helpful
Devon Holsworthy J & J Farmers No. views 1
Comments+ Always been really good so 9/10 (they lose one for the long bumpy lane to get there!). They have a cutting room too.
Devon Ilfracombe Combe martin Meats No. views 2
Comments+ Excellent service, small family run and very little waiting around for the animals. Pigs (including breeding sows and cull boars), sheep, goats, cattle and OTM cattle. Also does organic.
All in all a good experience and left me reasonably happy. The lady in the office was very patient with me and coped well with my ignorance!9/10
Dorset Sherbourne C & S Meats No. views 1
Comments+ Used them for several years for pigs, cows and sheep. They have a butchery attached and I cannot recommend them too highly. Small, friendly and very helpful.
East Sussex Heathfield Tottingworth Farms No. views 4
Comments+ We have used them for many years for slaughtering and since they put in the on site butchery, I use them for cutting; both lambs and pigs. I give them a big fat 9 out of 10 !
Good service, happy to recommend
East Yorkshire Bubwith J A Mounfield No. views 1
Comments+have always done me well and would be my preferred option of the four different ones I have used in the past. Pigs, sheep, goats & cattle, killed and cut on site, no packing/processing, good lairage and a long established family business.
very good small slaughter house. I am happy my stock get the best possible care whilst with them
East Yorkshire Driffield James White Butchers No. views 1
Comments+10/10 - Small family run abattoir/butcher that only slaughter on Mondays. I can't speak highly enough of them.
Gloucestershire Cinderford Ensors Gloucester No. views 2
Comments+Drive in, open tail gate, unload, close, drive out. No reversing, one pig or a lorry load, very reasonable prices, helpful to an idiot, packed to your requirements, great sausage, bacon and gammon, too.
Hampshire Basingstoke Laverstoke Abattoir No. views 1
Comments+ 10/10 for animal welfare, 3/10 for administration (but that's a lot better than the other way round). Their cutting is not cheap (up to £0.95 per kg) but it's good and everything comes vac packed, weighed, labelled, bar coded etc. They also do organic, I strongly recommend the place.
Herefordshire Leintwardine A H Griffiths No. views 2
Comments+ A very small abattoir with a smashing butcher's shop. sausages they do for us are marvelous ,but always need to ask for offal
Highland Granton on Spey R Miller Ltd. No. views 1
Comments+ I was impressed by them. Very friendly and helpful and very quiet and calm (tho I guess having to take the hoggets there for 7am helped with the quiet bit!). They also hung and butchered them. They specialise in private kills
Kent Canterbury JR Farmmeats No. views 1
Comments+ Good abbatoir
Kent Southborough Forge Farms No. views 2
Comments+ Good
- Not very friendly staff
Kent Tonbridge Ken Ballard No. views 1
Comments+ Small Abattoir, entrance between shop and next door, so need to be able to reverse trailer
Lincolnshire Boston A Wright No. views 1
Comments+ Very good. They helped me fill in the paperwork and allowed me to see anything I wanted. The staff were kind to the pigs and I didn't see a stick or anything other than a pig board for guidance. The guy there helped me to unload the pigs and then I stayed with them inside in the pen. I wasn't made to feel in the way.
Mid Glamorgan Maesteg Maddock & Kembury No. views 1
Comments+ Excellent place we send all our private kill pigs there and lambs. Family run, very helpful and always accomdating, top quality service. Make excellent sausages to.
Monmouthshire Raglan N S James No. views 1
Comments+ Would Recommend
Norfolk Kings lynn J E Howard No. views 1
Comments+ good but book well in advance
North Lanarkshire Wishaw Wishaw Abattoir No. views 1
Comments+ Happy to recommend
North Yorkshire Kilburn C R Horner No. views 1
Comments+ Family run, private kills but check well in advance as they do get busy specially Easter & Xmas (i book Xmas pigs in in August!!) They only kill for me and my butcher collects but they will cut if asked.(they do my firnd's lambs beautifully) Steep hill on way to village which can be tricky in winter so drops them to 9/10
Oxfordshire Witney Mutchmeats No. views 2
Comments+ Would recommend
Shropshire Daysdrove Bishops Castle No. views 2
Comments+ would recommend
Suffolk Long Melford H Ruse No. views 1
Comments+ V.Good
Warwickshire Coventry C H Rowley No. views 1
Comments+ Small family run place with village butchers shop on site as well. Was very impressed with the set up - had been recommended to them by two people. Kill and cut to our spec for £40 and sausages at £1 / lb extra. Just got home with 110lb of meat and 45lb of sausages! Seem very busy, and have booked our next four in for December already to guarantee a place.
West Sussex Henfield Southern Traditional Meats No. views 1
Comments+ Very good, friendly allowed viewing of the slaughter, extremely professional and good communication, I will be sending all my pigs through them in the future! 9/10 - because they are a little expensive for cutting
West Yorkshire Leeds John Penny & Sons No. views 1
Comments+ Very helpful for newbies
Wrexham Rhosllanerchrugog D & J Thomas No. views 2
Comments+ I have always been very happy with their respectful handling of my animals, there is very little waiting involved (I think they have only once been penned for about half an hour before slaughter) and there is no problem about watching the slaughter procedure if you wish to do so. The butchery side is excellent - they ask if they don't understand anything you have asked for, the meat is beautifully boxed and wrapped and their bacon/gammon is delish. The price has always been very reasonable too, and the service is always pleasant and courteous. I couldn't recommend them too highly.
- My own experience here wasn't so good: One of the pigs had a huge haematoma on it's hind quarter when returned. That can't happen post mortem. We also didn't get our own offal or heads back. Maybe a one off but we haven't been back to risk it again.