Award would be icing on the cake for quality craft bakers

And the secret of the Melvyn Davis success story, says Linda Davis, is probably down to the resilience and determination and skills ‘baked in’ to the Yorkshire folk who work at the business’s three sites.

Melvyn, who started the quality craft bakery named after him in 1972, has seen off recessions, the march of the supermarkets, competition from others and Covid – and he still keeps his hand in, despite passing the reins to his son and Linda’s husband, Philip.

Such is the reputation of the bakery that Melvyn Davis Christmas puddings get sent around the world to customers’ distant relatives, and people come from miles around for the parkin on Bonfire Night.

“We are a true family business,” said Linda. “Melvyn started as baker. He’s 80 next year and still plays a really big role - he does the speciality cakes – and he’s still involved on the operations side. He started working when he was 15 and when he left school he studied the craft at college.”

Suzanne Moosa with some of the bread the bakery is known for (Image: T&A)

Even grandson Oliver trained in baking, and his grandmother still runs the office.

The bakery has its bakehouse and shop in Littlelands, Cottingley, there is the flagship store in Saltaire (established for 40 years) and a shop in Kirkgate, Shipley, all run by one of the business’s key ingredients for success: its quality staff.

“We are blessed with lovely staff – we have staff who have worked with us for years and years and they only tend to leave when they retire, so we really are part of the community,” said Linda.

“I think it’s that, as well as our amazing products, such as our traditional pasties and cream cakes. We do fresh confectionery, fresh sandwiches. Even our confectionery is unique – not many shops sell that now. 

“It’s also about our skills. Even though we are traditional, we can do lots of different things. It’s a real craft.

“It is down to really lovely products, real high-quality baked products, which are quite unique now. We strive to be competitive when we can and I think it’s trying to go that extra mile with our friendly service. We always deliver when we say we’re going to deliver. We’re friendly, professional and quality.”

Suzanne Moosa outside the shop with some of the bread (Image: T&A)

“We support local business when we can, charities, and the church and community centre.

“There is a lot of pride involved because we are one of the last true bakers. Our differentiator is that we make everything from scratch using a traditional method and we even still make our own bread, which is really, really rare now. Our sourdough is amazing, and we have a big range of bread, and there’s no preservatives in it. That’s why our customers come back.

“What has helped us weather the storms is resilience and Yorkshire grit. Phil and Melvyn never stop! It’s in their blood. It’s a vocation. Melvyn’s dad was a baker. It’s generations of bakers. But this trade won’t go on forever because it’s hard to get the bakers to do the hours - it’s hard graft."