RESIDENTS are invited to come and have a butchers at a new business opening in Poundbury this weekend.

A special visitor will cut the ribbon to declare the Brace of Butchers at Queen Mother Square open at 11am on Saturday.

Tom Amery and Peter Old, who already run a successful Dorset business with the Watercress Company at Waddock Cross, decided to open the butchers to showcase the best quality locally sourced meat and poultry.

There will be two experienced local butchers, Rob Owen and Ben Black, in the store as well as a pastry chef and someone on the deli counter.

The Brace of Butchers will offer 18 lines of beef from specially selected local breeds with the meat matured to exactly the right stage to get the best quality.

All of the beef on offer in the first week will be from J Hoskin & Sons at Maiden Castle Farm.

Mr Amery said: “We are ready to go, one of the most important things in the whole preparation for the last four weeks has been preparing all the products so they are all in the right position at the right time.”

The butchers will also be doing their own bacons and gammons, six varieties of sausages with Thomas Hardy-themed names and a selection of chickens including woodland chicken.

There will be 30 cheeses in store, a number from Dorset, as well as terrines, quiches and homemade scotch eggs.

Mr Amery said there will also be a taste of the continent with shipments of Spanish ham and olive oil having arrived in time for the opening.

He said: “Everything is looking great.”