From plagues and wars to fires and floods - if there's any business that knows how to survive a crisis it is a Bridport butcher famed as England's longest-running firm.

Founded in 1535, R J Balson and Son in West Allington can be traced back 25 generations and is now owned by Richard Balson - who has offered offered sage words of advice to help others weather the storm of Covid.

With the pandemic drastically affecting the way communities interact and communicate, Mr Balson places specific onus on working to support and facilitate the needs of the local community.

“Being around for as long as we have, there have been plagues, wars, fires, floods, and in 1979 we had water up to the letterbox," Mr Balson said. "These situations, not to mention recession and health scares have brought on difficult times.

"Covid-19 is just another obstacle. Thankfully for us, during this pandemic, we were considered an essential business – so have remained open throughout. But, the Covid-19 guidelines have made things challenging and we have lost a lot of trade business from the closure of the hospitality industry."

Mr Balson initially shared this advice with digital payments provider SumUp as part of its project collecting advice from the UK's oldest family businesses on how new businesses can survive tough times.

The butchers was founded when Richard's ancestor John Balson opened a market stall in South Street and has previously been featured on an episode of the BBC’s Escape to the Country, showcasing life in the Dorset countryside.

"There has been such a surge in support for small and independent businesses," Richard added. "People are looking to boycott the bigger supermarkets, because of the large crowds, and have welcomed a return to a more traditional way of shopping. Smaller shops feel a bit safer.

"Breaking the habit of robotic shopping, people have embraced our style of good old-fashioned service. We prioritise great and personal customer service with real conversations and, in a time where personal interactions have been limited, I think that’s what people wanted."

The message for those just starting out, is to find ways to build a loyal customer base.

"For new businesses, my advice would be: prioritise your local community," Richard said. "We know our customers and we have been a part of the community for centuries. We have tried to do what we can to support them. We’ve been offering phone orders that we can deliver locally to those self-isolating or shielding. Any business starting out should look to act in ways that benefit their local customers. They should also be ready to adapt and diversify in ways that benefit customers.”

To find out more visit their website rjbalson.co.uk