Phyllis Harper, who owns Highgate Butchers, celebrated her 50th anniversary on the high street this year.
Over the decades, along with her son Lee, they have served thousands of people, including high profile celebrities who have since moved away.
In recognition of her hard work, Phyllis was presented with a certificate and flower by civic group The Highgate Society in May.
Phyllis was given a certificate in recognition of her 50 years on the high street by Highgate Society chairman Andrew Sulston (Image: Wally Kumar)
Phyllis had trained as a hairdresser when she met her husband Paul, who lived in Archway and worked in a butchers shop, in 1973.
The 77-year-old said: “One day I was walking past and he said ‘oi you, you want to come to a party?’ and I said ‘yes’.
“Went to the party and that’s it from there.”
They married two years later and when the shop became available in the high street, they bought it.
Lee, now 48, was born and she was pregnant with Paula, now 43, when tragedy struck.
“My husband died when I was six months pregnant with my daughter,” said Phyllis. “He died of a heart attack on New Years Eve. I just had to survive, God knows how I did it.
“I never got over it but I’m strong thank God. I’ve raised two successful children and a successful business.”
In its heyday, the butcher served “so many celebrities” including Sting, Annie Lennox, Tony Hadley and Jude Law.
“Stephen Gately (Boyzone singer) was my best friend, but he died,” Phyllis added.
“My customers have been wonderful, I couldn’t do it without them and without my son taking over, I couldn’t run it at all. We’ve been lucky in that respect.”
She does wonder however, where the customers have gone given their competitive pricing, and is at pains to promote the village.
On the morning that the Ham&High visited, she said: “It’s 9.45am, there are no customers, it’s dead, it’s heart breaking.
“Saturdays are busy but you can’t live on a Saturday.”
She said the pandemic was a turning point.
“Lockdown was phenomenal,” she added. “My son worked his butt off keeping it open. There were queues around the door and he managed it all by himself as I had to keep away.
“Where are they now? He put his health at risk to serve the community. My loyal customers remain but there are so many who could come in and support us and they don’t. We give good service, we’re polite, we’re not a monopoly. It’s quite upsetting really.”
Phyllis owns the freehold to the property, and with only one staff member aside from her son, it is the footfall in a volatile business that is the major problem.
Lee gets up at 3am everyday to go to market to buy the produce that he hopes customers will buy.
Phyllis said: “It’s a hard job. The meat is perishable so if you don’t get what customers want, that’s not good, and if you over buy, that’s also no good.”
Just two weeks ago Phyllis had to put down her dog of 16 years, her beloved Schnauzer Bertie.
“He was too old, couldn’t walk properly, I couldn’t be selfish and let him suffer. It’s another big loss in my life.”
She has no plans to retire as the shop keeps her going, it’s “something to get up for.”
She added: “It’s 43 years since Paul died. I was a widow at 34 and gave up my life for the business and the children. They come first.
“It’s nice keeping his memory alive. He loved the shop, he lived for it. It’s nice keeping it going for him.”
