Paul Conway (butcher)

Paul Conway (born 1978) is a Scottish butcher and businessman and is proprietor of Paul's Quality Butchers, in Scotland, with branches in Kilsyth established in 2002, Bonnybridge in 2005 with more recent shop openings in Grangemouth, Kirkintilloch and Condorrat . He has won several trade and business awards, is involved in community philanthropy. Paul launched a website in February, 2010, [1] and this lists more recent trade and entrepreneurial awards. [2]

Background and training

Paul Conway gained working experience from the age of 12 years of age in the local butcher's shop. After leaving school, Conway became an apprentice with a local butcher, gaining experience in different butchers' shops. Due to the financial pressure of having a young family Conway went into debt. He approached The Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) who approved his business plan awarding a start up loan. Conway benefited from the help of his mentor, Mr. Rogers.

With the help of the Princes Trust Mr Conway put together a business plan that allowed him in 2006 to buy the Bonnybridge premises that now operate as a butchery/bakery business. Conway's business has thrived. He now employs 30 part and full-time staff in six premises with a turnover of over a million pounds a year.

Awards

Conway took gold medals in two categories—traditional steak pie and speciality pie (steak and sausage) on 26 September 2007, at the Steak Pie evaluation organised by the Scottish Federation of Meat Trades held at the Garfield House Hotel, Stepps. He also came away with overall Scottish third place and first place for the West of Scotland at the Scottish Pork Sausage Championships held in Perth on 12 May. In 2006 he won silver awards for his Pork & Cracked Pepper Sausage and Cumberland Sausage.

He was a 2004 Regional Business Award winner at the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust The Prince's Trust / The Royal Bank of Scotland 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' Awards and Finalist in the Youth Business International Entrepreneur of the Year award 2006.

Conway's shop in Kilsyth was named the Scottish Butcher's Shop of the Year in the final of the UK Butcher's shop of the year contest which is organised every year by Meat Trades Journal, held at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant at Claridge's, London on 20 November 2007.

Appearances

He addressed HRH Prince Charles and MSPs at the Scottish Parliament in July 2005, and was featured in celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's The F-Word programme on Channel 4.

Community and philanthropy

Conway sponsors local youth boxing and football teams

and cultural events and speaks regularly at PSYBT events and as a role-model for young aspiring entrepreneurs.

Family

Conway is married and a father of five children. The youngest, Alleisha, was born in October 2007.