A high-tech approach is helping an historic Oxford butchery business cement its future. Aldens, which can trace its roots back to 1793, has invested £1m in an extension including Meatmaster, a new cash and carry service open to the public at its headquarters in Osney Mead, which has created about 10 jobs.

But while it still trades on its family name, it has also installed a state-of-the-art camera system, not just for security, but to help boost trade.

Managing director Matthew Alden said: "The cameras are linked to the Internet and I can show customers their order being prepared on a computer without them having to come to the premises.

"A lot of detail is available and I can zoom in on items as small as a label on a pack."

Mr Alden can also use the system to show live pictures of his operation to potential new customers with the cameras following the butchery process from meat preparation to checkout."

The system also records the temperature of the refrigeration units and, if there is a fluctuation, it sends a warning to Mr Alden's telephone in the form of a text message.

Mr Alden added: "We have moved on a lot since the firm started all those years ago this technology is really leading the way."

Meatmaster is a return to general retail for Aldens which closed its butcher's shop in Oxford's Covered Market in 1999.

Since then it has been concentrating on the catering trade, supplying about 25 Oxford colleges.

And recently it has made inroads into the other place' after landing a contract to supply Cambridge University.

The new extension has doubled the size of the existing building to 4,000 sq.ft and will bring the number of staff employed at the site to about 35.

Mr Alden said: "We will be providing everything from specialist butchery products to prepared value added products, cold meats and cheeses."