AN Elderslie butcher shop proved a cut above the rest as it cleaned up at the Scottish Meat Trade Fair awards.

Elderslie Butchers scooped six gold Scottish Craft Butchers Awards at the festival in Perth for its smokey BBQ ribs, Texan steak, hot wings, Bombay chicken, beef bourguignon and Italian chicken.

Staff also secured two silver awards for their piri piri chicken and chicken thighs.

The awards recognised the best ready meals, ready-to-cook and barbecue products in the country’s butchers.

Owner Gavin Colquhoun told The Gazette: “We love developing and perfecting this kind of product. It’s all about trying new flavours and new ideas.

“It’s our customers that encourage us to try out new and different things.

“They are amazing and keep us enthused through their support.”

Elderslie Butchers is based in Stoddard Square, and will soon be opening a steak and grill restaurant, staff announced last month.

The awards attracted around 230 entries from more than 40 butchers from Shetland to the Solway.

Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, said the Elderslie shop had some of the best products around.

He said: “It is important for us to encourage our local butchers to produce quality new and innovative offerings to interest customers during summer barbecue season and those who find time they have limited time to prepare meals.

“This type of product is proving increasingly popular and discerning customers will always look to their local butcher for first choice.

“Scottish butchers like Elderslie Butchers are leading the way with some of the best products in Scotland using fresh ingredients and we’re delighted they’ve achieved such high recognition from their industry.

“These awards show what a high standard local butchers set.”