As well as keeping it in the family, the Shaws are also keeping business firmly in Bradford city centre.

Over the past few years, sales have increased dramatically at their shop - Table Decor - on Bradford's North Parade, a sign, they hope, of even better things to come.

Not bad for a small family shop set up originally in 1965 as a furniture outlet by co-owner Judie Shaw's mum and dad, a shop selling mostly Scandinavian products.

Now Table Decor has three floors, employs four members of staff and sells anything from furniture to home accessories, lighting and birthday cards.

Shop owner Alastair Shaw said that, ever since he carried out improvements to the exterior of the shop two years ago, things have never been better.

With the help of a Conservation Area Partnership grant, the improvements included the removal of the plain shop facia and restoring the original building frontage, adding stained glass windows and a wrought iron gate.

Mr Shaw said: "We've seen a significant increase in trade since the improvements were carried out.

"We're also in an area where there have been significant improvements lately and there are one or more shops due to open in the near future."

Mr and Mrs Shaw travel all over the world to exhibitions to hand-pick goods to sell in their shop. The quality of furniture on sale attracts people from across the district, who hear about the shop's reputation by word of mouth.

Now the Shaws have backed the T&A's Shop Local campaign, calling it an "excellent idea which will raise the profile of Bradford shops."

Mr Shaw said: "With so many shop closures in Bradford city centre over the last few years, Bradford's reputation has tended to suffer as a consequence.

"It's marvellous that new shops are gradually coming to open here.

"The Shop Local campaign is an excellent idea - anything that raises the profile of Bradford shops has got to be good."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.