I can’t quite believe its nearly the end of October already, where has this year gone? The shop has been so busy and website orders are being sent to all four corners of the UK and over to America and the Netherlands. I still have lots of fabulous photos to post on social media of places where our sweets travelled on their holidays. I think Indonesia may have been the furthest but more about that in future blogs – please keep sending in the photos.

It’s been an up and down year with supplies. When the shop opened, the decision was made to only sell only the best quality sweets. This means that for many of our sweets I order direct from the traditional manufactures. Yes, I could order the cheaper versions that are sold in supermarkets and other businesses, but I want the best tasting sweet that really do trigger the nostalgic memories. There have been problems with supplies of aniseed, cocoa, some flavourings and sugars. At one point we were on an 8 week wait time with one of our traditional manufacturers. BUT the great news is nearly everything is back in stock and its looking like a smooth run to the end of the year. There is an ongoing issue with the fudge we sell as the manufacturer is building a new factory on top of where the original one was. There is still a supply of vanilla flavour and birthday cake flavour but sadly all the other flavours won’t be back until well into next year.

Our online sales have been busy this year and there are some lovely regulars who I have got to know. Don’t forget to sign up for our quarterly newsletter on the website www.helmsleysweets.co.uk and receive your discount code for your first order. There are some discount cards randomly going into some of the future parcels so look out for yours. I hope to have more of our sweets online in the next few months, but if your favourite is missing complete the enquiry form and I can sort out an order for you. I try to use recycled and compostable materials for the parcels – do you reuse the packaging? Let us know if you do.

Recently I’ve been taking the dogs over to York to trail and one of the venues is at Poppleton Industrial Park triggers so many memories for me. While most people know York for Rowntrees and Terrys, I have so many memories of M A Cravens which moved from the centre of York (where the Jorvik centre is) out to Low Poppleton Lane to a new factory. I had relatives working there and we use to live on the waste sweets – Old English mints, Mary Ann toffees (named after Mary Ann Craven) and of course the Sugared Almonds at Christmas. I love hearing about people’s memories that are linked to sweets. We had customers in the shop this afternoon reminiscing and the conversation tends to always start with “I remember my Grandad having……’ Grandads are fab aren’t they. Mine always had mints in his pocket. If you have a memory, please email us about it and you never know, it may feature in the next blog.

However, it’s been about Halloween and spooky goings on at the moment with Christmas on the horizon. We have several interlopers in the shop, but I am assured the ghosts are leaving next week.

However, I fear the gonk is staying to cause all sorts of mischief in the run up to Christmas so watch out for his antics on our social media posts on both Facebook and Instagram. There will be a competition to guess his name.

As I write this, most of the Christmas sweets are in boxes in my spare room ready to be popped into jars, bags, boxes and hampers though some have already gone up to the shop. Those of you who know, will be saying “I hope the door is secure from Miss Floss”.

Tomorrow is our weekly pallet delivery day, and it will have more of the Christmas delivery on it. Watch out on our social media for news. Already in the shop for half term are Swizzels Advent Calendars, several sizes of Candy Canes, the Lindt Reindeers and Santa (so Floss and I can’t eat them), chocolate coins and Christmas tins. If you want to order any bespoke hampers, jars or boxes drop me an email telling me what you would like to shop@helmsleysweets.co.uk or use the enquiry form on the website www.helmsleysweets.co.uk and I will get back to you. We can drop things off locally nearer to Christmas or post out when you want them. Beware of buying too early as you may be tempted to eat them. Seriously, they are better being made up nearer to Christmas as the sweets will stay fresher. If you need to store them, keep them in a cool dry place away from radiators and spaniels.

The shop is coming up to its 11th Christmas and so many things have change for all of us. Some of you know our lovely team well and some of you don’t know much about us so maybe I should start and introduce the team blog by blog. I am the very brave (or stupid) person who lives with three spaniels and in my other world train trailing, tracking and detection dogs. I am in and out of the shop and do all the behind-the-scenes stuff. Sadly, I can’t work full time in the shop now as I have osteoarthritis in my hands, but the shop remains my baby. However, I do have a succession plan with my granddaughter who helps behind the scenes and knows nearly as much as me.

So have a wonderful autumn, hopefully it will stop raining and we can trudge in the beautiful, coloured leaves on the ground. Enjoy Halloween but take care not to get too scared of the spooky going on.

– Lynn and the three pups

Autumn Update