The owner of the world's oldest sweet shop, located in Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire, says classic sweets from the 1820s remain the top sellers after 199 years in business. The Oldest Sweet Shop, founded in 1827, has survived two world wars and a global pandemic, and its current owner, 29-year-old Ben Howie, says traditional hard-boiled treats like pear drops, humbugs, and rhubarb and custards are as popular as ever.
Ben Howie, who took over the historic store in 2021, noted that while modern sweets like Haribo gummy bears also sell well, the old-fashioned favourites are the best sellers. 'We sell all types of treats, but the traditional hard-boiled sweets are by far our best sellers,' he said. 'It seems the country's sweet tooth hasn't changed too much.'
The shop, which was named the oldest sweet shop in the world by the Guinness Book of Records in 2014, is located in a 400-year-old building that fits only about 30 people at a time. Around 20,000 visitors come each year, some travelling from as far as Sydney and China. The shop has remained virtually unchanged, with large glass jars on dark wooden shelves and the original till, rescued by the previous owner from an antique shop.
Ben's brother James, 21, helps run the business and says the shop is a 'blast from the past' for many older customers. 'There is a lot of nostalgia in here,' he said. 'Customers can spend 20 minutes deciding which sweets they want, like Fruit Salads or wine gums.' The brothers have had to update some prices, such as the iconic 1p sweets, which were raised to 5p after the Covid pandemic due to rising costs.
Despite challenges, Ben and James have built an online website to grow the business and are committed to preserving this 'important bit of history.' Ben said, 'Seeing the customers come in and be excited about the shop and the sweets is great. Hopefully we can keep going for another 200 years.'
