A VILLAGE butchers is now able to boast the best speciality burger in Scotland after it tasted success at a prestigious awards ceremony.

The outback burger at Elderslie Butchers won a diamond award at the Scottish Craft Butchers Awards, seeing off hundreds of other competitors to seal first place in the speciality burger category.

Hard-working staff at the business, based in Stoddart Square, have been working towards a diamond award for the past five years, since they first arrived in the village back in 2013.

And owner Gavin Colquhoun admits he is delighted to have received such recognition on a national stage.

He told The Gazette: “We are so pleased about getting the award, which is our first diamond one.

“We’ve had a lot of gold awards over the five years we’ve been in business but it’s nice to get a first place amongst about 400 other butchers competing for that prize.

“The outback burger is a steak burger that’s 99 per cent fat free. It’s got Ayrshire bacon in it, with a bit of cheese, barbecue sauce and some onions, plus some other secret ingredients.

“It’s a pretty big burger because it doesn’t shrink, so it’s good value.

“I think the secret to a good burger is knowing what people like and making sure it’s full of flavour.

“It’s all down to great customers and a great team that we’ve managed to do this. In just five years we’ve set up a cafe and a steakhouse and they now serve the best speciality burger in Scotland.”

The team also clinched gold awards for their Stornoway and caramelised red onion burger and the dry-aged brisket burger.

In previous years, the business has been hailed for its Scotch lamb, feta and mint burger.

Other butchers in Renfrewshire also took home trophies, including McDowall Butchers, in Paisley, which collected a silver award for its Texan barbecue burger.

Gleddoch Family Butchers, also based in Paisley, secured a silver award in the beefburger category.

For details of all of the winners at this year’s Scottish Craft Butchers Awards, visit https://craftbutchers.co.uk/