# Red Lion Abattoir closed by FSA



## Cuffey (8 April 2013)

News running on Skye TV News this morning

Closed for ''infrastructure'' problems the reporter said
Other investigations on-going


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## JillA (8 April 2013)

Interesting, pity they didn't just clean up their act though, they do provide a service that a lot of people need. I wonder where the dealers will send theirs now - and what impact that will have on Beeston. I presume it is temporary?
They could do with modelling their layout etc on Potters, they always did an unpleasant job as nicely as it can be done, with minimal stress on the animals.


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## Amaranta (8 April 2013)

JillA said:



			Interesting, pity they didn't just clean up their act though, they do provide a service that a lot of people need. I wonder where the dealers will send theirs now - and what impact that will have on Beeston. I presume it is temporary?
They could do with modelling their layout etc on Potters, they always did an unpleasant job as nicely as it can be done, with minimal stress on the animals.
		
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Agree totally with this, in a perfect world Potters would take over the building, I live in hope.


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## noodle_ (8 April 2013)

beeston is going to be flooded.....

more abandonded horses...... etc.....


:/


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## Parachute (8 April 2013)

Just seen this on facebook. Only problem, where will all the horses heading to Red Lion go?


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## Cuffey (8 April 2013)

Parachute said:



			Just seen this on facebook. Only problem, where will all the horses heading to Red Lion go?
		
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Exactly
While things were clearly ''not right'' the service was needed
Are we going to see more ''on the hoof'' transport to EU?


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## MerrySherryRider (8 April 2013)

Thank goodness. http://nantwich-news.co.uk/wordpres...ear-nantwich-closed-by-food-standards-agency/


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## Parachute (8 April 2013)

Cuffey said:



			Exactly
While things were clearly ''not right'' the service was needed
Are we going to see more ''on the hoof'' transport to EU?
		
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I think they'll most probably be transported to France/Italy etc..
or dumped?! I don't know, I just think it's caused more problems while this could have being fixable?
Don't get me wrong, I do not support the neglect at The Red Lion, but surely it's better fixing the issues than shutting it down?


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## MerrySherryRider (8 April 2013)

Problem is the horses weren't just neglected,they were neglected, abused and tortured according to reports which shocked all the professional bodies that should have been aware of what was happening in that hell hole.

 For those more worried about the loss of the 'service' than the suspected criminal behaviour currently being investigated, -that's a worrying trend in public opinion for the future welfare requirements for horse slaughter in the UK.


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## Natch (8 April 2013)

That article (thanks for the link) days it was refused a licence under a new name and that the decision was not related to the previous scandals. Hope more info will be available about why it was refused.


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## FairyLights (8 April 2013)

JillA said:



			Interesting, pity they didn't just clean up their act though, they do provide a service that a lot of people need. I wonder where the dealers will send theirs now - and what impact that will have on Beeston. I presume it is temporary?
They could do with modelling their layout etc on Potters, they always did an unpleasant job as nicely as it can be done, with minimal stress on the animals.
		
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^^
this


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## amandap (8 April 2013)

If it is infrastructure problems then unless it is brought up to current standards it is better closed imho. Slaughterhouses should be well equipped to respectfully and humanely handle the types of animals they slaughter. Poor facilities will inevitably lead to poor care.


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## MerrySherryRider (8 April 2013)

My feeling is that it is a convenient way of shutting the place immediately rather than waiting until the investigations have been completed by the FSA and CPS and subsequent possible prosecutions take place.
 Local concern has been mounting for some time and isn't going away as more reports come to light.


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## amandap (8 April 2013)

You may well be right horserider. A closure keeps the press coverage to a minimum as well. The meat scandal in general is being hushed as much as possible imo.


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## Bertieb123 (8 April 2013)

amandap said:



			If it is infrastructure problems then unless it is brought up to current standards it is better closed imho. Slaughterhouses should be well equipped to respectfully and humanely handle the types of animals they slaughter. Poor facilities will inevitably lead to poor care.
		
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Using the word "infrastructure" could also mean the infrastructure of management too perhaps?


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## Dab (8 April 2013)

Bertieb123 said:



			Using the word "infrastructure" could also mean the infrastructure of management too perhaps?
		
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'infrastructure' can apply to the company set-up, including management and staff and how the business trades.


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## amandap (8 April 2013)

Ah right. I thought it applied to the hard ware building and system design.


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## Dab (8 April 2013)

to clarify it applies to process, procuredures and systems of the business. So will incorporate and run across the whole business set-up including HR, finance, H&S, T&C's etc...so how the business runs and operates.


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## JackAT (8 April 2013)

As has been said, let's hope the horses headed here can be dealt with without having to ship them to the EU in appalling conditions! 

I think maybe these cruelty issues could have been a symptom of a deeper-rooted problem of a badly run business. Due to the reasoning behind the closure. 

Another link to another article if anyone's interested  Horse & Country TV Article


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## In The Real World (8 April 2013)

I fail to see how Redlion could learn from Potters who Kill there horses at Stillmans Slaughterhouse Taunton. They have footage of suffering horses lay on the floor waiting to be shot all over youtube!

Potters facility seems adequate for domestic handled horses as they are lead into a room whilst the Slaughterman angles a huge Rifle towards there head! How do they deal with unhandled hill ponys???? The type you cannot lead or hold long enough t get a clear shot?? Unfortunatly they cannot and now Redlion has been closed the welfare crisis will only worsen


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## sidsmum (8 April 2013)

Sounds a bit like they wanted the place closed down and this was a good a way as any.  Beeston is going to be worse then ever though I should think.


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## Pearlsasinger (8 April 2013)

From reading the article I got the impression that High Peak are intending to do further work and reapply in the not-too-distant future.  let's hope so.  
There can be little more abusive than being loaded into over-packed lorries and transported thousands of miles with no food or water to be slaughtered in less well-regulated slaughter houses in the back of beyond.


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## Bertieb123 (8 April 2013)

Ok good in a way the place has closed, and lets hope it up and running as soon as possible and everything put right, yes there is much to be learned from horse slaughter in the UK and we need it (though certain so called charity's would not agree) I really hope and sure others do if the place re-opens it will be a very welfare friendly place to send equines, what many on the bunny hugger sites don't realise is they cannot all be rescued. In this day and age you have people who would rather pass a dangerous horse, old horse, unwanted horse or non-affordable horse off to someone else via a market, dealer, dumping or a welfare charity that will soon run out of money to rescue them all, as they cannot do the right thing and have it put to sleep because either they cannot face it or not afford to, wish some people would get in the real world and realise it not just racehorse breeders etc that 'neglect' and 'dont' care about horses and other animals as they state, some need to practice what they preach!  So what is the alternative?...................... Abattoir in UK or Live Export where they in a great deal of stress if they survive the journey? In a ideal world I hope Red Lion will re-open as a state of the art equine abattoir and some of the welfare charities actually work with them..................................I can dream.


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## Caledonia (9 April 2013)

DEFRA need to get people into the ports asap to check the live exports. The horses that would have been sent there have to go somewhere. 

On a plus side, maybe some recently stolen horses might magically reappear?


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## joelb (9 April 2013)

Bertieb123 said:



			In a ideal world I hope Red Lion will re-open as a state of the art equine abattoir and some of the welfare charities actually work with them..................................I can dream.
		
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This x 100

As it stands today the place looks a complete 5h!t hole and needs serious investment to bring it up to modern standards.  Maybe RSPCA HO could part with some of its considerable wealth to avail RL..that would be the ultimate in preventing cruelty to those animals that will otherwise end up on a long journey to hell.


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## hackneylass2 (10 April 2013)

'I really hope and sure others do if the place re-opens it will be a very welfare friendly place to send equines'

Yep that IS a dream. Why do you think their first thought was to change their name?  As things stand now in the economic climate they have been making a good profit with little, if no thought to welfare. Throughput and profit, that's what a lot of businesses like these are about.  Leopards don't change their spots.

Seems to me, and I would have thought anyone else with half a brain could see that the ethos of Potters and Turners were and are miles apart.

The UK needs to sort out Minimum Values to prevent live export and get tough, and I mean really tough on any place that seeks to profit by slaughtering equines.


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## Clippy (10 April 2013)

I would imagine Potters will deal with many of the horses that would otherwise have gone through RL unless their owners are waiting for it to re-open


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