Speciality Food Inspirational Cheese Retailers 2025

diving into the continental classics through the seasons, fromwheels of Gruyère, to wedges of Emmental, and Brie de Meaux. “These, we have to stock, but the main structure of the counter is British,” he explains. “And I always try to bring in local cheeses because we’re quite a tourist town. People like to take something back with them if they are on holiday here. For us, a main one is the Bath Soft Cheese Company, and also the various Cheddars from around here.” British cheeses, he says, have come on a long way in the last 20 years. “I’ve seen them slowly getting better and taking off. They’re definitely becoming more and more popular.” The experience of visiting The Cheese Shop is incredibly individual, he continues. “I’m a one-man-band. 32 @specialityfood E njoying and sharing food is part and parcel of life when you grow up in France, says Christophe Bonneau, who today indulges his enthusiasm and passion for fine food and drink at The Cheese Shop in Bradford Upon Avon – celebrating a decade in business this year. From a career in hotels and catering, working in Michelin restaurants, he bought his first shop in 2006, before selling it on and investing in his new retail home. What attracted Christophe to Bradford Upon Avon was the fact there wasn’t anything similar to what he wanted to create in the area. “I thought there was the opportunity to be a little bit more specialist here. Instead of being a deli first, I wanted to be a cheese shop first. To make a point of it.” The concept’s been very well received by locals and tourists alike. “We are small, but we offer very good quality,” he says. Cheese comes first, of course, complemented by the best products to go alongside it, from chutneys to biscuits and wine. Keeping it traditional The Cheese Shop’s offering is wide- ranging, Christophe says, focusing primarily on British cheeses, before LOCATION: BRADFORD UPON AVON FOUNDED: 2015 FOUNDER: CHRISTOPHE BONNEAU The Cheese Shop The Traditionalist “It’s the quirkiness and the decor for me”, says Paul. “And having an impressive counter. We probably have 80 to 90 cheeses on the counter on a regular basis. They are all of good quality. And customers always come here from word of mouth. It means we must be doing something right.” WHAT MAKES A GREAT CHEESEMONGER? WEST PEOPLE DON’T FEEL TOO INTIMIDATED COMING HERE. IT’SWELCOMING AND IT’SMORE OF AN EXPERIENCE THAN A SUPERMARKET. I THINK IT’S THE RIGHT PRICE, FOR THE RIGHT PLACE