There used to be a butcher's shop in almost every parade in Brighton and Hove - but not any more.
Whereas once there were 60 shops between Preston Circus and the seafront, now there are fewer than ten.
It's simple for meat traders to blame a rise in vegetarianism and competition from supermarkets for the decline in business.
But another reason is a more deep-seated worry about the quality of meat following the BSE scandal. Many people are extremely wary about what they buy.
It may take a long time to bring back consumer confidence in the meat industry, by which time it will be too late for many shops.
The message they must put forward to survive is that when it comes to choosing safe meat, there's no one you can trust more than your local butcher.
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