This is the latest in a regular series of Business Q&A features published weekly. This week, we spoke to Miraz Mehta Patel, who, with husband Vikas Patel, owns and runs Fink on Boroughbridge High Street.  

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does.

We are a greengrocer that also sells specialist gourmet food and hard-to-find ingredients from all around the world.

What does it take to be successful in business?

For any independent shop, the customer relationship is the essential thing. You need to have high quality and you have to bring somethingnew all the time.

At the moment, we've got seasonal ingredients, including authentic Italian panettone as well as sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan products – so we've got Christmas covered.

What drives you to do what you do every day?

When we took over this shop in 2023, it already had a very good reputation, so the challenging thing has been to maintain it and live up to people's expectations. It's that pressure to maintain standards that drives me.

What’s been the toughest issue your business has had to deal with over the last 12 months?

Uncertainty. It's become very difficult to monitor people's shopping trends. Everybody's experiencing rising costs, so even though we get staples in every week, we still have to check every invoice to see if the prices have gone up, and see if we can get things cheaper from another supplier. People talk about 'price fluctuation', but the prices never go down, always up!

When we took over the shop, the prices of olive oil and tea had just gone up, so it was very tricky – we didn't want people to think we were coming in and raising prices. But actually, people have been very supportive. When prices go up, they know why – they know what's going on in the world.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why?

Because we sell gourmet groceries, we get things from all over the world, but we try to keep it local wherever possible, and use local farmers a lot.

I admire Spilmans [of Thirsk] for the quality of their produce and the way they farm. People actually wait for their seasonal produce to arrive, such as asparagus and strawberries.

I also admire Steenbergs [of Ripon] – they're really, really good for spices.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders?

The people who run the Boroughbridge Library. It doesn't get any government funding, so they're all volunteers.

In the summer, we encourage people to bring in the produce from their gardens, and then we sell it and give the proceeds to the library. This year's been very good, and there's been an abundance of apples, pears and marrows.

We also charge 10p for carrier bags, and the proceeds from those go to the library too.

What could be done locally to boost business?

The council is doing pretty much everything it can to support business, but perhaps more could be done to raise awareness of the difference between independent and local businesses. A Spar can be local, but it's not independent. 

We're truly independent, and when you shop with an independent business you're helping to support a family. In fact more than one family – there are lots of families connected to us through our supply chain, and they all benefit too.

Best and worst things about running a business from Boroughbridge?

The best things are the community support and the loyal customer base. Everybody greets everyone – it's so welcoming.

Before we came to Boroughbridge we were in Croydon, and moving here was like moving to a different country. It feels so safe and secure here. We've experienced no negativity – it's been amazing.

The worst thing is that the free disc parking zone is sometimes abused by business owners. They park their cars and then change the disc time after 90 minutes. That blocks a parking space that could be taken by a customer.

When we came from London, we couldn't believe the free parking – nothing's free in London – and I think perhaps people here sometimes don't appreciate it.

What are your business plans for the future?

We would like to expand and perhaps take on another shop, if we saw the right opportunity.

I'm a fashion designer by profession, and I have a side business within Fink called Folklore by Miraz, selling purses, scarves and other things from all parts of India. We believe in women empowering women, so we buy goods made by women in rural India.

I launched it last Christmas and I go around the small fairs in the villages. It's my biggest passion, and if I got the chance to have my own boutique I'd grab it with both hands.

What do you like to do in your time off?

Time off – what's that? Any time off we have is dedicated to our little one – helping him with his homework and taking him places.

Best places to eat and drink locally?

The pubs – they're amazing. They're all so good around here – everybody knows you, and even if you're on your own everyone greets you. It's very friendly.

If you know someone in business in the Harrogate district – including Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Masham and Nidderdale – and you'd like to suggest them for this feature, drop us a line at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.