THE sausage is a tried and tested pillar of British cuisine.

Toad in the hole, a full English breakfast, there are many of the country’s finest meals which would be left looking rather lost if the banger was absent.

But one man has decided the pork stalwart could do with a 21st century overhaul.

Ben Harry Treagust is the owner of Harry’s Sausages, the latest addition to Brighton’s Open Market.

The 33-year-old is the fifth generation of sausage makers in his family, a tradition kickstarted by his great-great-grandfather Harry in 1924.

But his future wasn’t always destined for the butcher’s block.

Ben was initially “a bit of an artist” and studied interior design at university.

But he said he worked out a few years ago that he “wasn’t going to make much money from painting”.

When his father offered him the chance to make a regular income as a sausage maker he jumped at the chance and quickly set about learning the trade.

But he made sure his creative talents were not wasted.

Ben said: “I wanted to do my own thing with it so I started the brand, Harry’s Sausages.

“I wanted to modernise the sausage and bring new flavours in.

“Our sausages are all gluten free as I feel food can taste cleaner when it’s not coated in gluten and oil and you really get the flavour each spice and herb.”

The Harry’s Sausage brand caters to lovers of the classic sausage with a traditional option as well as a caramelised onion flavour.

But it also takes a few risks.

Ben says the most popular flavour is the Sicilian (a blend of lean pork, chilli, fennel and garlic) while there is also another range flavoured with lemon zest and lovage leaf, a tall plant with an intense celery-like flavour.

Alongside this, there are several other products on offer including Scotch eggs made with gluten free focaccia crumb.

The store opened on August 12 and Ben said he has received “awesome feedback” from people who have popped in – many of who have returned for another visit.

But he said he has not had time to do much self-promotion as the opening has been even busier than even he could have imagined.

He said: “I moved to Brighton about a year ago from Emsworth in Hampshire where we my family have got a traditional butchers shop.

“I have just taken that over as well as my parents have just retired, so I have been setting up the shop down here and looking after that as well.

“It’s been a bit busy, and definitely was not planned, but I have got a great team up there helping me.

“For a long time my family have all had the name Harry in their name somewhere, with my great great grandfather being the original Harry who started making sausages in 1924.

“So for the 90th anniversary I created the Harry’s brand.”

Now Ben wants to spread the word about the shop throughout Brighton.

He said: “The Open Market has some really great businesses. I want to create a buzz here, I was inspired by Borough Market in London.

“So, I wanted to be part of something like that here.”