Frank Taylor
What can we say about Frank that he has not already said about himself? Well actually, nothing. Apart perhaps from the fact he scans the Queen’s Birthday Honours List twice a year and all to no avail. One little known fact about Frank is that he is a leading authority on Market Research, often sought for advice by MORI and TNS Global. His method is disarmingly simple; don’t ask the question until you are certain of the answer you want. Then pick a like-minded person at ‘random’, ask a clearly loaded question and when you get the answer you want announce to the world that ‘100% of the person surveyed agreed with me’. Not a big fan of vegetables he is convinced that ‘Five-a-Day’ should be 2 sausages, 1 lamb chop a gammon joint and a piece of sirloin steak. The real Frank is passionately committed to sourcing all our produce from local farmers and producers. It is of paramount importance to him that anyone who is part of our chain is as committed to quality, animal welfare and customer satisfaction as he is. It is Frank’s insistence on excellence at all stages that has made Taylors a butchers that we are all extremely proud of.
Sam Taylor
Sam first worked from the age of 14 as a Saturday lad in exchange for board and lodgings at home. In many ways Sam is the most fortunate member of staff. Young, slim, good looking AND lucky enough to have the kindest, most rational, modest and generous father in Chrisendom (Frank's words). He has come on leaps and bounds in a short space of time as he quickly learns the skills of the trade. Taylor the Younger is also very much an ideas man, constantly thinking of new and exciting products to excite the customer's taste buds. We have to tell him though that Marinated Peacock Liver on a bed of Nettles in Mead Sauce is not a winner. Neither is his latest creation, Roasted Raccoon Rump and Chips. An idea of Sam's that did work though was the use of the computer outside the shop at Christmas. This has saved the customers and staff a great deal of time even if it did result in him getting hypothermia. The following year he made sure his brother Ben sat out in the cold. Well done Sam, the future hand on the rudder of the Taylor Team. The only possible thing that can hold Sam's career back is if he eventually turns out like his father.
Barry Price
Has been with us since 1978 and when he first joined we became a team of 4. Barry quickly fitted in with the rest of the staff and our existing customers. Barry is married to Pat and they have a son, Adam. As well as being a pretty good snooker player Barry is a genuine horse lover who takes every opportunity to ride them. He once rode a horse for six hours solid but eventually the sound of the barrel organ and continually going round in circles, and up and down, became too much for him and he decided to get off the Merry-Go-Round and let the kids have a go. His preoccupation with horses has also led to him being the shop tipster. If you want to know what is going to win the 2-30 at Doncaster, Barry is your man. On a serious note; Frank cannot state too highly how much he values the support Barry has given him and the business over the past 30 years. Barry has recently gone on to a reduced working week as he prepares himself for full-time retirement.
Paul Oglesby
Joined in 1993, intending to stay for a few weeks, and has proved himself to be an ever dependable member of staff and highly valued. Paul is a very proud and doting grandfather to Chloe thanks to the other apple of his eye, daughter Danielle. Paul is highly regarded as a butcher and his skill with a knife ranks alongside that of D’Artagnan with a rapier. We are confident that if he had to he could fillet a fly. One thing you will not know about Paul is that he represented Latvia in the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest. His song that night: ‘There were firty free fick and fin sausages sitting on a fick wall’ was absolute rubbish and only scored free points. Joking apart, Paul’s butchery skills are exceptional and he is extremely capable, reliable, well organised and also very good with the customers.
Leonard Hill
Started in 2003 and is particularly good with the customers and with his easy going manner puts them at their ease. Regularly serves more customers per week than anybody else. Len’s current claim to fame is that he is the butcher’s equivalent to Michelangelo with a brush. A master ‘marinater’ who has become so adept with his little brush that he is currently depicting the history of Manchester United on the shop ceiling in a lemon and chilli sauce. Len also has a wicked sense of humour and often has his colleagues chuckling away behind the counter instead of working. Come to think of it, I really must have a word with Len. Highly regarded by Frank and Sam as another valued member of the team.
Neil Corlett
Neil joined us in September 2003 having also managed his own shop in Monton. Neil has 3 children, Sarah, James and Hannah. He spends most of his time in the prep area at the back of the premesis boning out meat and making sausages, at which he is a top man. It was Neil that first suggested to Frank that we introduce the low fat, slimmimg products which has turned out to be an excellent idea. Judging by Neil's run of bad luck in recent times he must have run over 3 black cats and walked under 6 ladders. He is also not quite sure what fuel to put into his diesel Landrover. When called on to serve in the shop he is great with the customers, appreciated by his colleagues and a valued team member.