FORMER IT sales director Mandi Iles has swapped microchips for pies to launch a new food business with her butcher husband which they hope will help boost footfall in Bradford's main food market.

Mandi and husband Paul Binns have opened The Quality Yorkshire Pie Company in the Oastler Centre on John Street, which has created four jobs.

The new artisan pie business is opposite Paul's long-standing butcher's shop Binns Quality Meats which has operated for more than 50 years.

Mani and Paul hope their venture- in which they have made significant investment - will help ease local traders' fears following the closure of the nearby Morrisons store in Westgate

She said: “The closure of Morrisons was a big blow to traders who feared footfall would drop, so hopefully this will help bring more people in. And my first recruit, Becci Brown, actually ran the hot food and pie counter in Morrisons, so she will be a familiar face to many.

The new shop offers a range of pies handmade on the premises – to eat hot or to takeaway - as well as hot roast meat sandwiches, home-cooked ready meals and artisan coffee. The business has already secured a number of contracts to supply local pubs, cafes, restaurants and bakeries.

Running the venture marks a new departure for Mandi, who spent the last 17 years working as an IT sales director .

She said: “I wanted a change and we really wanted to invest in Bradford and the market. The pie company is a great fit with Paul’s existing business, it’s the only handmade pie company in the city centre and we think we have created something really different.

“I did spend a number of years running bars and restaurants for the NAAFI around the world, but have had to educate myself on the pie making business. We did a huge amount of research on the best equipment and traditional production methods.

" Everything will be made here on site and we are already looking to the future and hope to open a second shop in Bradford with a larger kitchen.”

Colin Wolstenholme, Bradford Council markets manager, said: “It is always great to see new investment and entrepreneurial businesses opening within the Oastler Centre. The Quality Yorkshire Pie Company is going to be a huge asset and compliments our development plans for the market to make it more modern and appealing with a focus on quality foods.”