Some retailers measure their history in years. Campbells of Leyburn measures its in generations.
Trading since 1868, the Yorkshire Dales supermarket is now a fifth-generation family business, with Richard Walker running the day-to-day operation alongside owner Kath Campbell. Together, they have helped turn a historic family shop into a modern destination supermarket without stripping away the independence that has defined it for generations.
The scale of the operation is striking. Campbells has 13,000 sq ft of retail selling space and more than 13,000 products, serving Leyburn's 2,500 residents as well as surrounding villages, rural communities and visitors to the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
It has also become a destination in its own right. Around 3,800 customers shop at Campbells each week, with around 5% travelling for more than an hour to visit. Around 90% of business is repeat trade, underlining the loyalty the store has built.
Walker brings the operational leadership to a business where detail matters. Alongside traditional butchery and deli departments, Campbells has an upstairs wine and spirits shop, fresh produce, fine foods, premium grocery and a strong local range. Its ability to combine everyday shopping with discovery is central to its appeal.
The range now includes more than 13,000 products, from value essentials sourced through Costcutter to premium drinks, local cheeses, made-in-store pies and sausage rolls, no and low alcohol, Dubai chocolate, bin-end wines and butcher-created ready-to-cook meals.
The commercial performance suggests the formula is working. Turnover passed £5.5m for the first time, rising from £5.19m to £5.51m in the year to March 2026. Profits increased 5.81%, average basket spend rose 2.86% and weekly footfall increased 3%. Around 207,000 customers visited during the year.
Growth is coming across multiple categories: deli sales increased 13%, cheese 7.3%, alcohol 6.1%, dairy and chilled 6.6%, fruit and vegetables 4.4% and butchery 3.8%.
But Walker's role is about more than numbers. The 21-strong team includes colleagues who have been with Campbells for 10, 20 and even 40 years. The store also maintains around 100 customer accounts and supports local charities, grassroots organisations and community initiatives, including donating around 55 raffle prizes a year.
The business has remained part of Costcutter since 1996, using the symbol's buying strength and support while retaining the freedom to source specialist and local products.
A £250,000 refurbishment is planned to further develop the store, including additional wine and beer fridges and upgraded fruit and vegetable displays.