Exotic fruits of all description add to the colourful scene at St James’s Market.

From the early hours of the morning, traders set up their wares at the market, off Wakefield Road, to provide retailers in Bradford with a vast array of goods to sell to their customers.

Highly-organised, clean and efficient, it deserves its place as the best wholesale market in the country.

It beat off competition from the UK’s largest wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market New Covent Garden in London, markets in Manchester and Glasgow, London’s famous Spitalfields, and many other markets across Britain to bag the title at the National Association of British Market Authorities conference in Birmingham.

It is quite an achievement for what is one of the smallest Council-owned wholesale markets in the country.

“What is interesting is that no matter how large the market, the issues surrounding the running of it are the same – how to reduce costs, improve environmental performance, and improve security,” says Colin Wolstenholme, markets manager with Bradford Council.

“We are fortunate in that our market is fully let and there is a strong independent food sector in Bradford selling a wide range of foods. The market reflects the diversity across the district. A lot of foods being sold here are ethnic foods, which service many areas of the city.

“Generally, across the country, wholesale markets are in decline. We are bucking the trend here.”

To counter the pull of the supermarkets and subsequent closure of many independent fruit and vegetable shops, many wholesale markets are diversifying into areas such as hotel and catering supplies.

“Supermarkets cut out the middle man and go straight to the producer, whereas smaller shops and stores get their supplies from wholesalers,” adds Colin.

The competition judges were particularly impressed with the partnership approach between Bradford Council and the Tenants’ Association in the areas of waste recycling and initiatives such as ‘pay as you throw’, in which traders’ waste is weighed and they are charged accordingly.

“Historically, the cost of waste disposal was shared equally among the 66 trading units,” explains Colin. “We found that a small number were generating the bulk of the waste which was not fair on the others, so in conjunction with the tenants’ association we introduced this scheme.”

Now traders take cardboard, plastic and vegetable waste to a compacting area where it is weighed and they are billed for that amount.

Introduced in 2009, the scheme has prompted traders to think about their working practices. “They think ‘Am I over-ordering or not being efficient?’,” says Colin.

Each month a schedule is provided, detailing the amount of waste each business generates and what it has cost them to dispose of it, allowing traders to compare against their competitors.

Says Colin: “They may see that they are generating more waste than their neighbour and think about their operating methods.”

Since the schedule was introduced in 2009, the amount of waste overall has fallen by between 30 and 40 per cent.

Traders are also encouraged to separate their waste. “If they have separated their cardboard and plastic, we don’t charge,” says Colin. “It is baled and sold locally, giving us an income from it.”

Baled cardboard brings in £90 per tonne, while plastic generates £140 a tonne.

The benefits of the various initiatives are clear to see. In 2008, 563 tonnes was sent to landfill compared with 90 tonnes last year, and the cost of waste disposal over the same period fell from £44,473 to £16,739. Income from recycling dramatically reduces these costs.

“We try to divert as much as possible from landfill,” says market superintendent Mel Williams. Fruit and vegetable waste is sent to Yorkshire Water’s treatment plant at Esholt for composting.

Wood from pallets and boxes is also separated, collected, and processed along with other materials to make laminate flooring.

“As well as the money we bring in, you have to add the £60 a tonne which we save through not sending as much waste to landfill,” adds Mel.

Says Colin: “Most of the products used at the market are raw materials and can be used again, and the traders recognise that.”

Traders from across the North visit the market. “We have a good reputation and people come from as far afield as Manchester and Newcastle,” adds Mel.