'We've had challenges - but our high street keeps improving'

Ten years ago, an aspirational high street in York was crowned Britain's best.

Lined with independent shops and cafés and decked out in colourful bunting, Bishopthorpe Road took the top prize in the Great British High Streets Awards 2015, launched by the government.

Ten years on, its business community has weathered challenges, from the Covid pandemic and Brexit supply chain fears to steep rises in parking fees.

The BBC caught up with those who drove "Bishy Road's" quest to reinvent itself and remain relevant for today's shoppers.

Much of the impetus for the road's revitalisation came from the Bishopthorpe Road Traders Association, which formed under chair Johnny Hayes.

He and his wife arrived on the street in 1999, when they took over traditional ironmongers Pextons, a fixture of the neighbourhood since 1935. They later ran a cookware shop, which they sold in 2018.

"There was a period when the street wasn't quite what it is now and there were a few risks," he says, speaking from the cafe-bar Angel on the Green.

"Terry's chocolate factory closed down nearby and we also lost our post office.

"It was always a good little street with lots of independent shops, but it was at a point where there was a recession and our backs were against the wall."

The traders identified 2008 as a "low point" for empty premises, but the opening of the Pig and Pastry cafe soon afterwards was one of the first shoots of regeneration.

A traffic-free street party kicked off the new era for Bishopthorpe Road, and a pavement seating culture later developed.

Shopkeepers who joined the association promoted the street and held events to drive footfall.

They then decided to apply to the judges of the Britain's Best High Street competition. Their efforts were commended on their first attempt, but in the second year, they won.

"It was an amazing title to get but we'll certainly live with that and really the rest is history."

Although Bishy Road has changed over the years, the former chair thinks it has "very much improved".

"In my mind, it's still Britain's best high street," he adds.

One of the perennials of the street is Millie's greengrocers.

"Trade has been great down here," Vicky Harris, who has worked at the shop for nearly 20 years, says.

"A lot of people just appreciate the fact that they can come in here and buy one onion if they need, they don't have to buy a big pack of them.

"We get our deliveries on a daily basis so it's all fresh, we don't keep produce in big coolers like all the big supermarkets do."

Customers from as far afield as Edinburgh and Nottingham have told her that they don't have equivalent clusters of independent businesses in their own cities.

"It's a smaller street and it's a community," she adds.

"We've got proper regular customers that come in and shop, then go for a coffee at Trinacria or a breakfast at Robinsons.

"There's really everything down here that you need, you don't really need to go anywhere else."

Matthew Kneafsey runs M&K Quality Butchers alongside his brother Simon, after their parents set up the business in 1970.

Three generations have worked at the shop, with Matthew's niece and nephew Charlotte and Ben also lending a hand.

"We have regular customers and still have some of the first customers that came back in 1970," Matthew says.

"It's quite good to have a relationship with your customers, knowing exactly what they want and remembering them from each week and being able to do something different to some of the bigger places."

The butcher says that one of the biggest changes he has seen is people's eating habits.

"Many years ago when Dad first started, there was the weekly joint everyone had on a weekend, joints of beef and lamb, but they've pretty much disappeared now," he adds.

"Everyone just eats differently so they'll have steak or chicken, and also a lot of people eat out now so all the little cafés on this street are really busy."

Matthew explains the demographic has changed on Bishy Road, and young professionals have moved in as house prices have risen.

"In modern times, they all meet up at either the Pig and Pastry or at Robinsons, and they all have a coffee, but years ago, there wasn't the budget to do that," he says.

"There's no way people would have paid £4 for a coffee and £4 for a piece of cake, and that's how times have changed."

However, Matthew finds demand is still there for a butcher's shop and his personal touches make customers want to return.

"They love at Christmas that there's port and mince pies in our queue," he says.

"It was quite famous in York. People join that queue and they don't moan about it, everyone has good fun. It's part of Christmas."

Joe Nasson has been co-owner of Bishy Weigh, an eco-pantry refills shop, since April but grew up in the area.

"It improved an awful lot to get to that status and I think it's stayed there," he says about Bishy Road's former title.

"We're very lucky that we've got a diverse population around us, people from some lower socio-economic backgrounds and also people who can afford to shop locally.

"Local shopping is more expensive, we are squeezed by increased costs on a regular basis and we have to pass that on, it's not an option."

He praises his fellow traders as "amazing" and appreciates the community spirit they share.

"I grew up on the street and I've got some lovely stories of having been away for my university life and coming back," Joe adds.

"I used to be a paper boy and deliver the York Evening Press to the butchers.

"I walked in as a customer after I came back and the first thing they said was, 'hi Joe, how you doing?'.

"They remembered me from five years ago and I think the street's still like that."

According to Johnny, there are now more eateries on Bishopthorpe Road as more people tend to dine out.

One such place is Robinsons, where snaking queues form on a Sunday morning for the popular brunch menu.

"We've been here for about nine and a half years now," Will Pearce, who owns the café, says.

"We started off quite small but now we've got two shops knocked together and about 20 team members."

Will puts down his success to no-fuss food and a great location.

"I think Bishopthorpe Road being in a residential area means that we do get a lot of repeat guests," he adds.

"People come two or three times a week to see us and then there's a nice mix of people visiting York as well, who have maybe heard about us or one of the other businesses on the street.

"I think they're always pleasantly surprised by the area that the businesses are located in and there's lots of them, so they can spend a few hours on the street."

According to Will, the pandemic was the biggest challenge for Robinsons, as a well as a stint of roadworks that closed the street.

The latest battle Bishy Road traders are fighting is a price hike at the local car park.

City of York Council put up fees in April from 80p per hour to £4.85; however, the charge was later cut to £3 following adverse local reaction.

"There's been a real sense of outrage," Johnny says.

"We got 8,000 people to sign a petition against this and we managed to obtain a review of the situation, which is due to start.

"What we would like to do is come up with a fair solution for a brilliant street that actually does a great deal for the community."

However, Johnny says about 75% of people visit the street by foot.

"We've got an awful lot of people, about 12,000, that live within walking distance of Bishy Road," he adds.

"We've obviously got a really good captive audience!"

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