North’s named Great Food Club Shop of the Year 2026/7

We are delighted to share that North’s has been named Shop of the Year 2026/7 at the Great Food Club Awards.

The award recognises the very best independent food shops across the region. For all of us at North’s, it is a wonderful tribute to David, to Dominic and the patisserie team, and to everyone behind the counters and in the café who looks after our customers every day.

Most of all, it is thanks to you. Thank you to every customer who has come through our door, ordered a cake, chosen a cheese or stopped for coffee and something sweet. We could not have done it without you.

The judges’ notes

Here is what the Great Food Club judges had to say.

North’s Deli in Rothley is our Great Food Club Shop of the Year 2026/7.

North’s is a rare thing - a genuine village deli and patisserie with its own character, shaped over decades by the knowledge and taste of owner David North.

David is still working in the shop at the age of 85. After more than 70 years in food retail, his experience is visible everywhere. Every product feels as though it has earned its place on the shelves or behind the counter.

Walking through the door is a pleasure. The counters and shelves are filled with continental cheeses, charcuterie, patisserie, freshly baked pies, tarts and sausage rolls, bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, wines and plenty more besides.

What stands out is the selection. North’s does not feel driven by fashionable brands or flashy packaging. David chooses products because he believes they taste good, and decades of experience have given him a formidable eye for what belongs in a first-class deli.

There is an authenticity to the place that is increasingly difficult to find. North’s is independent and family run, and it feels personal rather than formulaic. The patisserie, deli and café sit naturally together, creating somewhere that works equally well for picking up dinner, buying a bottle of wine, choosing cheese or stopping for something to eat.

It is also a business built around expertise. David knows his products and producers, and that knowledge has helped North’s become far more than a useful village shop. It is a destination for people who care about good food.

North’s has become something of an institution in Rothley, and David North is one of the region’s great independent food retailers. The shop reflects his taste, experience and continued enthusiasm for finding and selling good things to eat and drink.

For its exceptional range, authenticity, personal service and more than half a century of food knowledge behind it, North’s Deli is our Great Food Club Shop of the Year 2026/7.

Come and see us

You will find us at 289 Station Road, Rothley, next to the Great Central Railway. The shop is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 4pm, and the café is open Monday to Saturday from 10am.

We look forward to welcoming you.