Bradford’s Darley Street Market has been named Britain’s Best Food Market, just six months after opening – and traders like Solly’s Fruit and Vegetables are a big reason why it’s thriving.
The city centre venue scooped the top prize at the Great British Market Awards, with judges calling it “truly impressive” and praising the market as “a bold, modern food destination that blends culture, community and quality”.
For many shoppers, it’s businesses like Solly’s that give the market its soul.
Solly’s Fruit and Vegetables is a fourth-generation Bradford family business, which began life as a fruit, veg and halal meat shop on Oak Lane in the early 1970s. Now, its presence inside Darley Street Market reflects exactly what the venue has become – a modern space rooted in the city’s independent trading heritage.
Since the three-floor Bradford Council flagship opened in July 2025, shoppers and diners have flocked to Darley Street Market as part of the wider regeneration of the city centre.
The market has already built a strong reputation, with visitors rating it 4.4 out of 5 stars on both TripAdvisor and Google Reviews.
It has also become one of Bradford’s liveliest new cultural spaces, hosting live music, workshops, exhibitions and community events throughout the building and its Courtyard area.
Highlights over the last six months have included Bradford2025 City of Culture activity, the European Festival of Latvian Culture, BD: Festival, Courtyard Clash wrestling, crafting and cooking workshops, big-screen film nights, Halloween celebrations and monthly Real Markets pop-ups.
Many traders reported record sales over the festive period, including Roswitha’s Deli, Taplin’s Butchers and Priestley’s Fishmongers, while Darley Street Kitchen also performed strongly with workplace bookings and parties.
Alongside the food and footfall, Darley Street Market has introduced weekly community initiatives such as the Tuesday Chatty Café, run with Age UK Bradford District to help reduce loneliness and social isolation.
A packed programme is already planned for 2026, with celebrations for Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, Pancake Day, International Women’s Day, February half-term activities including the Yorkshire Games Festival, and events for Easter, Eid and the summer months.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said the award was a proud moment for the city.
“Darley Street Market has been a phenomenal part of our regeneration plans for Bradford city centre, so we’re delighted we’ve been named Britain’s Best Food Market,” he said.
“Along with being a great place for shopping and eating, we designed the market to be a space for music, art, heritage and culture.”
Traders across the market say the move has helped businesses grow, with Taplin’s Butchers describing it as a catalyst for expansion, and Caffe Brigante praising the collective effort behind the award win.
And with long-standing Bradford names like Solly’s Fruit and Vegetables – serving local families since the 1970s – continuing to draw loyal customers into the city centre, Darley Street Market’s success story is only just getting started.
