IT TAKES a special kind of courage in business to completely switch emphasis when opportunities arise.

That is what happened at the Barbakan, which began life in Walmgate, York, as a Polish delicatessen and bakery filled with supermarket-style goodies from home like poppy seed cake and beetroot soup which the growing population of Poles yearned for.

But it was when the owner, Anna Witcxzak cleared space outside the food aisles for a hand-made coffee table where customers could have snacks, that the revolution began.

Soon people were so intrigued with the delicious food served there, that more tables were added and as the supermarket disappeared, more tables took over and menu lengthened.

Suddenly, everyone – not just Poles – was revelling in traditional Polish dishes like bigos, the cabbage stew with a variety of meats, sausages tomatoes and wild mushrooms and pierogi pan-fried dumplings filled with beef or cheese with potatoes, topped with fried onion or bacon.

Anna and her partner Grzegorz eventually decided to take advantage of the rapidly growing demand by opening in the evenings.

All that is now left of the delicatessen is a counter fridge full of hams, sausages and cheeses. Then there is the Polish bread baked on the premises.

The couple have two chefs and two waitresses.

All of which is cue for Anna and Grzegorz to go for the Small Business Of The Year and Family Business Of The Year titles in The Press Business Awards 2011.

Anna says: “All that is left now is for us to hope for further prosperity to remain as good as we are now – or becoming even better.”