Britain?s only mobile retro sweet shop inspired by owner?s love for Charlie And The Choc

Britain?s only mobile retro sweet shop inspired by owner?s love for Charlie And The Choc

Mangalore Today News Network

This is Britain’s only mobile retro sweet shop - selling old-fashioned gobstoppers, strawberry bon bons, nerds and liquorice sticks.

Owner Melanie Richings, 30, has gone back in time to launch her own candy van company and supply children, young and old, with their sugar-filled favourites.

She bought a 1976 Bedford ice cream van last year and has converted it into Charlie’s Candy Shop, inspired by her favourite film Willy Wonka And the Chocolate Factory - the 1971 movie version of Roald Dahl’s classic book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

 

It now tours the secondary schools and streets of Solihull, West Midlands, decked in traditional pink and white, selling sweets from the 1970s, 80s and 90s straight out of their old-fashioned glass jars.

She sells them by the 100g, as close to a traditional quarter of a pound as possible and wraps them in old style pink and white candy bags.

The mother of two, a former air hostess, started the business last year supplying sweets at weddings and parties.

Seeing how popular the likes of rhubarb and custard sweets, jellies and lollies were, she coined the idea of taking them mobile to children and adults locally.

She said: ’I wanted to start up my own shop but to get set up would have cost around £25,000.

’I didn’t want to start a business in debt so bought the van at a very good price.

’I loved Charlie And The Chocolate Factory as a kid. I couldn’t get enough of pineapple rock and fruit pips when I was growing up.

’I go out every school day and mostly concentrate on the high schools because the kids there have their own money and it’s their choice if they spend it.

’I try and go just once a week to the primary schools where the parents can give the kids a treat if they want to.

’The kids and adults came up to me at first and said, "Wow, how cool what a great idea".

’I’ve had some really nice compliments. The van was just a shell when I got it. It had holes in the floors and needed a complete refurbishment but it’s been great fun to do.

’I don’t have a licence to sell in one spot so have to keep moving. I hope to have a proper pitch somewhere soon, maybe in a town centre so everyone knows where I’ll be.

’I love selling the old-fashioned sweets. I get people in their 30s and 40s coming to the van and they look like they’re a kid in a sweet shop again. They look amazed.’

She hit the streets for the first time in March and now serves up to 60 children a day in term-time while continuing to supply sweets to functions and parties.

And she thinks she is the only retro sweet van in Britain, with an emphasis on children eating sweets in moderation.

She said: ’There are other mobile sweet vans around the country but they all sell modern sweets and chocolate.

’I’m pretty sure I’m the only one of my kind currently. Ice cream vans sell sweets too but not the range that I’ve got.

’It’s all about moderation with kids and sugar. It’s why most of my business at the moment is with teenage kids - they know what they are eating if they buy something.

’A lot of what kids eat isn’t great for them like ice cream or chips and I think as long as their diet is good elsewhere, a treat at the van shouldn’t hurt them.

’I have some very good suppliers, one that I have to keep a secret too. That’s the key to sourcing so many of the old-style sweets.

’It’s a bit of fun and been a really enjoyable job so far.’