{{short description|London's oldest butchers shop}} {{coord|51.51002|N|0.14874|W|type:landmark_region:GB-WSM|display=title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
thumbnail|Allens of Mayfair butchers shop a few years before it closed its doors.
'''Allens of Mayfair''' was a butchers shop based in London. It opened in Mayfair in 1830<ref name="collapses"/> and closed in 2015. Allens Scottish beef was bred especially for them in the Cairngorm National Park. The shop ran butchery classes between 2007 and its closure.
==History== Allens was opened in South Audley Street in 1830, and moved to its final location on Mount Street in 1880. It was London's oldest butchers shop to date. It was one of only four shops that the Duke of Westminster officially mandated.<ref>"The Grocer", 16 November 2007 "<http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=123199>"</ref> By May 2006, Allens was taken over by the owners of Rare Butchers of Distinction.<ref name="collapses">{{cite news|title=But Allen of Mayfair is sold to rival from Lewisham, says Supplier to Queen's kitchen collapses|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2939830/But-Allen-of-Mayfair-is-sold-to-rival-from-Lewisham-says-Supplier-to-Queens-kitchen-collapses.html|accessdate=2 August 2010|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=29 May 2006}}</ref> Over £1 million was spent in refurbishing the Grade II listed building, and installing new modern equipment inside the shop and attached office.<ref>Jeannine Williamson, "Meat Management", January 2010 "<http://www.meat-ezine.com/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225165842/http://www.meat-ezine.com/ |date=25 December 2009 }}>"</ref> In 2008 Allens bought Simply Real Sausages, which supply many of London's top kitchens, including The Dorchester and the Soho House group.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sausages on line with Simply Real Sausages|url=http://www.foodepedia.co.uk/food/2009/aug/simply_real_sausages.htm|publisher=Foodepedia|accessdate=2 August 2010}}{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
The landlord, Grosvenor Estate, said that the management had 'fallen into administration' and that the court's administrator had not renewed the lease.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}
Allens Scottish beef was bred especially for them in the Cairngorm National Park. Butchery classes were held weekly since 2007.
==Products and services== <!-- Deleted image removed: thumb|right|A butchery class in progress -->
Allens Scottish beef was bred especially for them in the Cairngorm National Park. All of the pork, beef, lamb, geese and turkey sold came from farms in the UK, and all meat sold could be traced back to the farm.<ref>{{cite news|title=Store visit – Allens|url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=123199|accessdate=2 August 2010|newspaper=The Grocer|date=16 November 2007}}</ref>
Butchery classes were held weekly around the hexagonal butchers block in the middle of the shop. Introduced in 2007, they were designed to prevent butchery becoming a thing of the past.<ref>{{cite news|last=Richardson|first=Belinda|title=Butchery: Knives are out|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/3340187/Butchery-Knives-are-out.html|accessdate=2 August 2010|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=3 November 2007}}</ref> Allens' butchery classes achieved number 60 on ''GQ'' magazine's "100 Best Things in the World" in December 2009.<ref>"GQ Magazine", December 2009</ref>
==See also== * List of butcher shops
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.allensofmayfair.co.uk Allens of Mayfair]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allens of Mayfair}} Category:Mayfair Category:Butcher shops Category:Shops in London Category:Food retailers of the United Kingdom