Buckhaven haggis a hit on Costa del Sol!

A butcher's in Buckhaven has been proving a hit in the sunshine of southern Spain as people on the Costa del Sol have been snapping up its haggis.

The meaty treat from R & I Moreland Butchers on Wellesley Road has been flying off the shelves after former Levenmouth couple Jim and Jo Weldon started selling the much-loved haggis in their shop, Our Place, 18 months ago. The eatery is in the popular holiday destination Fuengirola.

Jo, who is originally from Leven, said: “We have been getting our haggis from our butcher in Buckhaven for the last 17 years – for 15 of those years we stayed in Bridlington in East Yorkshire – and would always stock up with haggis and other meat from Bob Moreland.

The premises in Spain had been empty for nearly two years before the Weldons, who worked at Levenbeach Caravan Park before they moved to Spain, took it over.

“When we opened the business on the port in Fuengirola, there was so much competition on the marina,” said Jo. “We knew we needed something that was different and we love our Scottish food, hence the haggis.

“We do a haggis on our tapas menu in the form of breaded haggis served with a chilli dip sauce, which allows tourists who have never tasted haggis to try it and we have converted lots of Scandinavian people who now love it as well as plenty of English people too!”

The popularity of the national dish has even caught the eye of a local guide for tourists.

The Holiday Guide, a free paper distributed to hundreds of the shops, bars and restaurants in the Costa, as part of a feature on the restaurant, made special mention of the couple’s use of haggis in several of its dishes.

And one of the haggis dishes – served with mashed potatoes, mashed carrots and turnip and a whisky sauce – was awarded the Holiday Guide’s Editor’s Dish of the Year accolade.

Jim and Jo were over the moon to be given the plaudit.

Our Place also includes haggis as part of their popular Scottish Breakfast, which Jo and Jim sell up to 10 of a day.

With such a demand, Jo’s brother-in-law Colin Davidson and other family members have pitched in to help deliver the delicacy to Spain.

Colin said: “The deal is anyone going out to visit has to take Moreland’s haggis with them as they can’t get enough of the stuff.”

“I’m back out in October and, as usual, I will have to make sure I pack the haggis to take with us.”