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Beloved Rossendale sweet shop forced to pull down shutters after 6 years as bills quadruple
A beloved traditional family owned sweet shop is closing down after six-and-a-half-years.
The owner of Kandy Corner in Bacup, Diane Hart has decided it is time to close her store permanently on Saturday, June 24.
The mother-of-two from Bacup says a number of factors have influenced her decision to close including dwindling footfall, her electric bill quadrupling, the cost of stock increasing, and coupled with some personal health issues, and the general cost of living crisis means it is no longer viable for her to remain open and enjoy the shop.
However, she says she does not want people to be sad for her because she is happy to close the Bankside Lane store’s chapter and feels like it is the right time to do so.
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Diane, 59, said: “The best thing about the job is the people. There have been ladies who have come with their newborns who were not even 24-hours-old and now they are young children. There is one lady who comes every Friday with her two children and I have seen them grow up.
“I have got to know these children since they were babies and to see them give me flowers as a thank you was emotional. Customers feel at home at the shop. The support has been incredible and I have made many good friends. People have been so welcoming and have allowed me into their homes.”
Diane opened Kandy Corner in 2017 after a career in local government. She developed a love of sweets at the age of 13 when she got her first part-time job in a sweet shop on Yorkshire Street in Bacup.
Her vision was to open a shop in her home town that remained traditional. Diane received an influx of heartwarming messages on social media when she announced she would be closing her dog friendly shop.
One person commented: “You and the shop are an asset to Bacup and the way you always support the other businesses in Bacup has been amazing.”
Another social media user wrote: “You lived your dream and you also gave people and children memories that will last a life time.”
Jen from Daffodil Kitchen wrote: “You and the Kandy Corner family have brought so much joy to children and grown-ups alike, and you’ll be greatly missed by every single one of your customers.
“This really is the end of an era for the kids of Bacup.
“On a personal note you guys have become such good friends to us, and had it not been for your encouragement and kindness, Daffodil Kitchen would never have happened.”
Customers have also come into the store with flowers and a card to say their goodbyes and wish Diane the best of luck.
Diane says she appreciates the support and kindness the community have shown her since opening her dream shop, especially during hard times. Kandy Corner had a break-in and four attempted break-ins in the first 18 months of trading.
The community rallied together and set up a campaign to fund shutters for Diane’s candy store in which they became successful. The icon for liquorice, Bertie Bassett, who Diane made out of flower pots, proudly sits at the shop window to offer visitors a warm welcome.
The shop sells a variety of sweet treats placed in traditionally designed jars including pear drops, liquorice gums, artisan chocolates, jazzies and snowies, chocolate honeycomb, chocolate coffee beans and white mice. Diane tried to reduce her carbon footprint and support nearby businesses.
The fudge comes from the fudge factory in Whitworth and the chocolate comes from an artisan who is based in Britannia. Diane’s mother, Berenice Leyland, Diane’s daughters, Jade and Millie, and her husband, David have offered her immense support since she opened the business.
David and Diane are affectionately known as Mr and Mrs Kandy Corner, and their children are known as Miss Kandy Corner, while Diane’s mum is known as Grandma Kandy Corner. Diane’s granddaughter, Olivia, 11, enjoys visiting her grandma’s traditional sweet shop and has also developed a love of traditional sweets.
Her grandaughter, Dolly Violet, who is named after a mixture of sweets, loves chocolate. A 16-year-old girl did some work experience with Diane and she was so impressed with her work ethic, she hired her as a Saturday Girl last year.
Diane says her young visitors love the Haribo type sweets and the tongue painters, while older people generally love the traditional black and white mints and liquorice.
Fruity and fizzy treats are high in demand during the summer, while cough sweets and boiled mints are popular in the winter. Families visit the shop to buy bonfire toffee and giant snakes ready for Bonfire Night.
Diane will be at Bacup Carnival on June 25.
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