Labour issued major warning as ‘90% of UK abattoirs shut’ – ‘almost too late’

One of the UK's last small abattoir owners says Labour has "done absolutely nothing" to halt a wave of closures, forcing some farmers to travel more than 100 miles with their livestock. Luke Smith, 34, who owns Down Land Traditional Meats in Henfield, Sussex, says clients are coming from as far as Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Essex to his facility, which is the only one left in the county.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) and other industry bodies have now written to the Government warning that the number of abattoirs in Britain has fallen by 90% since the 1970s, from around 2,500 to around 200. They are calling for an urgent review of the regulations and costs facing operators, including veterinary and inspection charges, and for the sector to be recognised as critical UK infrastructure.

Mr Smith blames red tape, staffing difficulties and high operating costs for the decline, and says the consequences reach well beyond the industry. "It's a very serious issue," he told the Express. "Without abattoirs, where are those animals going to go? How can we have a sustainable food economy? The reality is that everybody wants to see livestock grazing in the fields, and then they want to see it on their plate in the kitchen, but they ignore the bit in the middle."

"That middle step has been forgotten about for years, and we seriously need to step up and protect it," he added. "If one supermarket closes, people go to another. Our abattoir is the only one left in Sussex. If it were to close, our clients would have nowhere else to go."

He said business is "just about ticking over" but making ends meet is "always a worry" and getting "increasingly more challenging financially".

A survey of 850 farmers and land managers last year found that two-thirds had struggled to access suitable abattoir services. A third had seen the abattoir they used close, and 43% said they would no longer be able to sell meat locally if their current facility shut.

Mr Smith accused Labour of failing to grasp the scale of the problem. "There has been absolutely nothing done," he said. "They don't seem to realise the serious issue in front of them." The Government is also under pressure from farmers over its decision to introduce inheritance tax on agricultural assets, which has made rural policy a sensitive political issue.

Clare Wise, chair of the NFU Livestock Board, said small and medium-sized abattoirs "provide essential processing capacity for livestock farmers, support local food businesses and sustain jobs and economic activity in rural communities". She called on Labour to "reduce unnecessary burdens and support a sustainable abattoir network" to ensure "the resilience of our domestic food supply chain".

Christopher Price, chair of the Abattoir Sector Group, added: "We are now at a tipping point. We need smarter, proportionate and genuinely risk-based regulation that maintains high standards without driving viable local businesses out of existence. The Government needs to act before more of this essential infrastructure is lost."

Mr Smith said he hoped support would arrive in time. "I really hope something is done before it's too late," he said. "But I worry that the door is nearly closed with the bolt on."

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs said: "Small abattoirs are vital to maintaining a resilient supply chain and supporting rural economic growth. We are working closely with the sector to help relieve the financial and regulatory pressures smaller businesses face, including consideration of proposals to provide support with the cost of Food Standards Agency fees.”