AS THE 19th century drew to a close Hiram Sutcliffe began selling fruit and vegetables from his home.

As trade picked up he invested in a horse and cart, transporting his wares around the streets of Farsley.

“There would have been a lot of farms around here then,” says Hiram’s great-great granddaughter Amy. “There would have been a lot of produce available as well as customers.”

In 1900 he put down roots with a small greengrocer and general grocery shop in Town Street.

The shop proved popular and in time was taken over by his son Raymond, followed by his son Sydney.

Sydney’s son, also called Raymond, later joined his father in the business.

“I was 16 when I started working at Bradford’s wholesale fruit and vegetable market and then came here,” he says. “All that experience helped when I joined my dad in the shop.”

Since its humble beginnings the family has expanded the shop from the small one-room wide premises to a larger property next door.

With its traditional awnings and colourful displays of fruit, vegetables and plants, it is a welcoming sight on the street.

It is a real family affair with Raymond, 57, working in the shop alongside Amy and his other children Lianne, Richard and Alice, and wife Tracy. “There is never a dull moment, theirs is always something to do - the days go really quickly,” he says.

Adds Amy: “We are so busy, A lot of customers have known us since we were very young children - I think they enjoy coming in as much as we enjoy being here.

“It is not like going to a supermarket. A lot of old people come in for a chat and a catch up. We know a lot of customers by name.”

Parents and siblings working together is not always a recipe for harmony, but that is not the case here. “We all get on well and enjoy working with each other,” says Amy.

They each have different areas of responsibility ranging from shopping at the wholesaler’s to buying plants and doing the accounts. Staff members James Bowling, a delivery driver, and Nick Scruton, who delivers as well as doing bookkeeping, make up Sutcliffe’s team.

The family has more than just a business attachment to the stone-built grocers. Raymond was born next door, in the original shop.

“My grandma Pat used to make all our dinners when she lived there,” says Amy.

The firm carries out local deliveries in its distinctive vans, each picturing a different fruit on the side - bananas, oranges and strawberries. Throughout the pandemic the service has been a lifeline to many local people. “Since March we have been delivering almost every day and have seen a rise in the number of deliveries,” says Amy. “When the first lockdown began we were exceptionally busy. It has calmed down a bit since then.”

She adds: “Some people have been advised not to go out and others are scared to leave their homes so it is good to be able to help.

“People have been so grateful. We have had gifts like home-made biscuits from customers to say thank you.”

The shops also delivers to the catering trade.

Raymond sources produce from St James’s Wholesale Market in Bradford. “I have been going there for many, many years,” he says. “The fruit and vegetables are very good quality.”

In summer the outside of the shop is a picture, with rows of seasonal plants on sale. Christmas sees the shop take on a festive feel with winter plants and Christmas trees on display.

Inside, jars of sweets add to the olde-worlde appeal.

During lockdown, the family noticed a marked increase in the number of young people coming in to buy fruit and veg.

“It seems that they have decided to shop locally rather than making a trip to the supermarket,” says Amy.

Steps have been taken to address the restrictions out in place due to coronavirus. “We take care to limit the number of people in the shop at any one time,” says Amy. “Everyone is being very sensible.”

Says Amy: “It is nice to think that the business has passed down five generations. There are not many businesses have stayed around for so long.”

*Sutcliffe’s of Farsley, 109 Town Street, Farsley LS28 5HX. Tel: 0113 256 5631. The shop has a Facebook page.