Still a young man, Greg has been a butcher for 20 years and this will be his seventh Christmas at his own shop in The Street. He is quick to point out how things have changed from when he was a lad. Today the emphasis is on convenience. People no longer wish to spend time preparing food: they prefer to buy it ready boned, in a sauce, stuffed and skewered. As with many other Ashtead traders, he has to compete with the big supermarkets in Epsom and Leatherhead by offering the personal service that Ashtead folk appreciate.

December traditionally sees a marked increase in Greg's business and, for many of his customers, part of the ritual of Christmas Eve itself is standing in the queue to collect the bird, fortified by his mother's sherry and mince pies. Last year nearly 400 turkeys found their way from an Essex farmer via his shop to the Christmas tables of Ashtead. And when the festivities are over, the new year seen in, what then? Greg must keep abreast of new trends, new recipes - what will Delia or Jamie do next? And what will we want to cook on our barbecues next summer?