Forth butchers are a cut above!

Organised by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), they will compete in a counter display competition of Scotch beef, lamb and specially selected pork.

Calling themselves the Scotch Young Team, Gillespies were judged on Wednesday by a panel of experts.

Showcasing their craftmanship, they were assessed on their overall technical skill, product innovation, creativity and presentation of the products on display, as well as health and safety.

It is only two months since Jonathan Gillespie took over the business from William McCafferty and he’s delighted to have reached the final.

He said: “We called ourselves the young team because we’re likely to be the youngest in the challenge.

"I’m only 27, my fellow butcher Stephen O’Hara is 26, my wife Bryony is 25 and my sister Emma is 30.

"While we’re all quite young, we do have a wealth of experience in the trade and we’re using that to develop the business, putting a modern twist on things which people have responded well to.”

QMS certainly saw promise in the Forth butchers and selected it as one of 14 finalists in the competition.

Gordon Newlands, QMS brand development manager, said: “Competing against some of the best butchery businesses in Scotland is a great learning experience.”

The winner will be announced on July 19 via the QMS website.