While my brain is still adjusting to being awoken at an hour where usually it can just about cope with breathing, the occupants of Bradford’s wholesale market are as lively as a dance troupe.
Indeed the atmosphere in St James market, on the outskirts of the city centre, is reminiscent of a performance. Traders banter with one another as buyers move themselves acrobatically around pallets of produce and forklift trucks.
Despite the hectic appearance, everyone appears to be aware of the part they play in the market’s activity. It is thanks to this coherence that St James is not just surviving, but strengthening its position in an increasingly tough industry that has stretched many other such establishments.
“We have full occupancy and a lot of that is down to the number of traders in ethnic food,” says Simon Kershaw, one of the four brothers who run Burbank Fresh Produce. Burbank has been operating out of the market since 2001.
Kershaw adds that the market’s location means it is not just supplying northern-based businesses, but also Scottish clients.
“We have a very vibrant market here; people are travelling in from all over the north and Scotland. Here they can get traditional produce but also pick up foods from Kenya or Asia.”
Opposite Burbank is a fine example of this diversity. SMA is a recently established business, but one which is obviously enjoying success if the numbers of men moving pallet after pallet of Pakistani mangoes is anything to go by.
Head of accounts Gohar Abbas is trying to answer my questions with polite friendliness but every second or so someone is asking for his attention.
“With Ramadan coming up we are exceptionally busy,” he explains as another pallet goes whizzing by.
Just a few units along sits Bradshaw Wholesale, founded by David Beanland some 25 years ago. Supplying the catering and foodservice trade, the business is still going strong
“We’re still an important resource for our buyers,” says Beanland, looking resplendent in his traditional greengrocer’s shop coat.
The market’s vitality, which has won it Wholesale Market of the Year two years on the run, is further enhanced by a supportive relationship with Bradford City Council.
It is seen as a community resource and the traders have embraced this wholeheartedly, assisting with the necessary health and safety policies required to allow regular school trips.
“Some 18 months ago the schools education scheme was revived,” says Paul King of P&P King, another one of the market’s longstanding tenants.
“We restructured the market so that it made it safer to have school visits; all the traders were onboard with that. It’s a fantastic way to introduce young people to the business.”
The council’s markets department organises the visits, with involvement from Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food.
Soraya Overend, project manager for the Ministry of Food’s Bradford branch, agrees with King that it’s not just a way of teaching children about health but also interesting them in the food business.
“The guys at the market can see that we’re bringing along future entrepreneurs,” she adds.
“So far it is mainly primary schoolchildren but we have taken along some secondary school pupils too. The children get so excited. They really enjoy the visits. The traders are wonderful with them too; they bring out bags and bags of free fruit and veg.
“The children get to taste food they have never seen before, such as exotic fruits, they learn about nutritional benefits and they have a lovely time doing so.”
Diana Greenwood, the council’s markets promotions and marketing officer, says they are hoping to open the scheme up to more secondary schools. “There is always a positive response from children and teachers,” she says.
“Our main aim is to raise awareness of various types of fruit and veg from around the globe, where it comes from and the journey it takes to get to the market.
“One of the recurring comments we get from kids is that they think apples and oranges come from the supermarket. They go away from the lesson with a more detailed knowledge of how fruit is grown and where it comes from.”
Along with investing in St James’ potential traders and buyers, the market is securing its financial future with a £500,000 investment in a new car park.
Not only will it take traffic off the main site, making it an even safer and more pleasant place to work in and purchase from, but the revenue generated from the car park will help to maintain and add facilities, such as the recent fitting of solar panels.
“It is all part of our long-term strategy to create a sustainable market,” says the tenants’ association’s vice president Johnathan Kershaw.
“We’re looking to the future with a number of new initiatives. That’s why we’re number-one wholesale market in the UK.” -
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