A TRANENT-BASED butcher has gained national recognition by being named the best butcher in Edinburgh and the Lothians at the Scotland Business Awards.

S&Y McMaster, on Tranent High Street, was presented the award at the grand final at the Leonardo Hotel, Edinburgh, at the end of last month.

The business has been operating on Tranent High Street since 2021, and owners Steven and Yvonne McMaster were shocked to receive the award.

Steven told the Courier: “We had been nominated a couple of months ago. We still don’t know who nominated us.

“We went along to the final just for the experience and to have a good night. We had no idea we were going to win.”

Born in Tranent, Steven, 47, has been a butcher for 31 years, working under Iain Gardner at A.S. Gardner & Sons on Tranent High Street for several years, before working at Anderson’s Quality Butcher in North Berwick.

When Mr Gardner announced the closure of A.S. Gardner & Sons, Steven took over the building and launched S&Y McMaster.

The husband-and-wife team work in the shop alongside son Conar, daughter Brogan and son-in-law Liam.

'Coming from all over'

Yvonne told the Courier: “We have clients coming from all over the place for our products, not just Tranent. We have regular customers from as far as Yorkshire and Essex travel up every couple of weeks for things.

“People don’t want supermarket meat. They want a high-quality product and from somewhere they can trust.

“We get a lot of young people come in and we can educate them on how to cook things and what meals they can make. These are things you don’t get from a supermarket.”

Steven said that he hoped the business would help bring people into Tranent.

He said: “So many businesses are closing on High Street and we just hope we can bring some more people here.

“We know a lot of our customers only come this way to stop at our shop. Hopefully they then go and visit other places on High Street.”

'We want to give back'

Yvonne said that the shop’s focus on community was one of the key elements of making the business successful.

She said: “We aren’t here just to line our own pockets. We want to give back to those who need it.

“We have had youngsters come in asking for something to eat and not having money, and I have given them things.

“We get customers asking, ‘why would you do that?’ and I say that you don’t know if those kids have eaten today.”

The shop has, from this week, reduced its opening hours from seven days a week to six, closing on Mondays to allow staff more time with their families.

Steven said: “Going forward, we have looked at possibly getting a van to do food deliveries. But we are very busy at the moment.

“Demand is non-stop and so we are just taking it one day at a time.”

Councillor Lee-Anne Menzies, ward member for Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry, is a customer and shared her delight at the award on social media.

She said: “This is an amazing achievement for all of the staff in the shop.

“It’s testament to all of their hard work, superb-quality products and their kindness.

“They put on offers that help us all eat a little better for less. They give food to those in need and I’m so proud to be a customer and to have them in Tranent and representing our communities.

“To the whole team at McMaster, thank you and well done!”