After nine years serving the Burpengary community, The Squealing Pig butcher shop has changed hands, with outgoing owners Gary and Lynne Thompson reflecting warmly on their time at the helm.
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The Thompsons opened The Squealing Pig at Burpengary Plaza nine years ago, growing it into a well-known local butcher shop. Gary, a butcher with more than 40 years of experience, brought considerable craft and commitment to the venture.
In a farewell post to the shop’s Facebook page, Gary addressed the customers, suppliers and staff who had been part of the journey. “Seems like yesterday we opened our doors but nine years on it’s time to say goodbye and for Lynne and I to move on,” he wrote.
The business has now been passed on to new owners Mitch and Sarah, whom Gary publicly wished well. “Good luck and best wishes for success to the new owners Mitch and Sarah,” he wrote. “It’s been an incredible ride, so thank you one and all.”
At least one long-time customer summed up the feeling in the comments: “Thanks for the past nine years The Squealing Pig. I hope that Mitch and Sarah can keep up the top quality sausages.” The comment points to what locals value most — the quality of the product.
The Squealing Pig’s journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Shortly after opening, the shop became the unlikely target of a social media pile-on, when vegan and animal rights activists flooded the business’s Facebook page with one-star reviews and distressing imagery, objecting to the shop’s name. Gary’s rating plummeted from five stars to just 1.7 stars shortly after opening.
Gary dismissed the backlash at the time, saying the shop’s name was never intended as an attack on anyone’s beliefs, and that the whole affair was simply ridiculous. He noted that if anything, the controversy had ended up being good for business.
Gary also took his skills to the international stage. He was selected as one of just 24 butchers from 18 countries to compete in the inaugural World Butcher Wars, held at the Smoke and Fire Festival at Ascot Racecourse in the United Kingdom. The event is described as part of the UK’s largest BBQ and cooking festival.
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With Mitch and Sarah now at the helm, at least one regular is already hoping the sausages will be just as good. Gary and Lynne, meanwhile, signed off with the same warmth they brought to the shop — thanking customers, staff and suppliers for being part of the ride.
Featured image credit: Google Maps/Baywide Locksmiths
Published 4-March-2026
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