Jamie Oliver is a fan of Roswitha's Delicatessen in Oastler Centre

This remarkable business, which can trace its history in what is now Bradford’s Oastler Centre back to the early 1960s, was one of the very few places to maintain continuous stocks of pasta, flour and yeast. Anyone trying to bake their own bread during the first three months of the restrictions will confirm that, with everywhere from corner shops to supermarket shelves stripped bare of these ingredients, tracking down a bag of flour or a packet of yeast was comparable with delivering a certain golden ring to Mordor!

Those in the know, however, beat a path to a much friendlier door which, as an essential food business, remained open throughout.

Shelves are filled with preserves, pickles, honey and other continental produce

One of the city’s finest independent food businesses, it boasts almost legendary status among customers that include numerous celebrities, from Jamie Oliver to his mentor, the chef Gennaro Contaldo, from the Great British Bake-Off’s Sandy Docherty to former Coronation Street actor turned cheese producer Sean Wilson (Martin Platt).

Gunther Giangregorio, partner at our Bradford BID Trader of the Week, says: “The business has had quite a few celebrity customers and visitors over the years. When Jamie Oliver popped by one day, it was to thank us for supporting his Ministry of Food when it was in Bradford.”

Gunther enjoys meeting customers, both loyal and new

The fact that Roswitha’s also supplies many bars and restaurants in Bradford, as well as further afield, is enough in itself to explain why it’s a shop not to be missed if you are any kind of “foodie.”

It first opened as Bruno’s in the early 1960s and was run by a Polish family. “My mother and I bought the business from the original owners 30 years ago, in August 1990, and changed the name to Roswitha’s - after my mother,” says Gunther. “She had worked in the shop for a number of years and I had been a Saturday boy. As Bruno’s it was a classic old-style Polish deli, specialising in meats. The family had their own bakery and a sausage factory. It catered for the large Eastern European population, Polish, Ukrainian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian etc, that migrated to Bradford after the war, as well as other Europeans such as the Italians and Austrians of course.

“Soon after we took over we also bought the cheese shop that was next door to turn it into one large true delicatessen.”

Over the years the produce they sell has developed and changed along with the clientele. “We still have a very cosmopolitan customer base,” says Gunther. “But I think we have more British customers now than we did 30 years ago. We believe we’re now the oldest and biggest classic European deli in West Yorkshire.”

Gunther with his mum, Roswitha Marshall, who lent her name to the delicatessen 30 years ago

Roswitha’s sells everything you’d expect from a quality delicatessen - and more, from a huge selection of continental meats, salamis and cheeses, to pasta, tinned produce, and fresh European bread and confectionery. They also sell coffee, leaf tea, preserves, pickles, honey and other continental produce, as well as speciality spirits, liqueurs and beers from across Eastern and Western Europe. And lRoswitha’s homemade baked cheesecake has become “a bit famous” in its own right, along with their speciality sausages, made in the shop.

Some of Roswitha's speciality meat products are made in the shop

As well as their loyal personal and hospitality customers, Gunther supports local food-producing businesses. “For instance, we sell Denholme Gate honey, coffee from Casa Espresso, in Shipley, teas from Taylors of Harrogate, bread from Bradford’s Continental bakery, to name but a few,” he says.

Despite staying open throughout, lockdown brought new challenges as well as opportunities. “It’s been interesting to see the changes during the pandemic,” says Gunther. “We’re interacting with customers in different ways through the brilliant online Bradford Street Market that was started and we’re taking orders by phone and e-mail and doing deliveries. The nature of the market stall, with the large raised fridges and counters, has made it easier for us than some but we’ve made the shop No Entry for customers. We have hand gel available, and distancing markers and we’ve seen a threefold increase in contactless payments.”

And the dark cloud of Covid-19 has perhaps brought with it a little dawning light: “Without support, independent businesses, especially markets, will die.We’ve always pushed the ‘shop local’ message and we think the last few months have prompted people to realise the value and benefits of local shops and personal service. Our customers are like an extended family, we go the extra mile for them. We hope the new customers we’ve gained in recent months continue to support us.”

* Roswitha’s Delicatessen, Oastler Shopping Centre, John Street, Bradford. Tel: (01274) 307876; E-mail: gunthergiangregorio@gmail.com; Website: bradfordmarkets.com/traders/roswithas-delicatessen/; Facebook @Gunthersfinefood; Twitter @RoswithasDeli

Roswitha's is said to be the oldest and biggest classic European deli in West Yorkshire

The deli sells a large selection of cheeses and meats