Trifter

AN OLD-FASHIONED SWEETSHOP. MOST of us love confectionary and the old favourites, such as cinder toffee, sherbert lemons, jelly babies and dolly mixtures are still popular. There is a sweetshop in Newcastle upon Tyne that has been selling sweets since 1934. There were many sweet manufacturers in the North-east of England, such as Welch’s, run by the family of actress Denise Welch and the College Sweet Works. Clough’s Sweet Shop is on Heaton Road in the east end of the city. It is run by Alan Clough and his wife Katherine l’Anson-Clough, who also try and keep the region’s folk traditions alive. Girls Aloud singer and Heaton-born Cheryl Cole always says that this shop is what she misses the most, when living away from her beloved Tyneside.. The Couple list their ten best sellers as cinder toffee, flying saucers, bonbons, sherbet lemons, pear drops, dolly mixtures, jelly babies, licorice tea cakes, pineapple chunks and cola bottles, all the traditional favourites of our childhood.

Clough’s sweetsop has been in the Clough Family as a sweetshop since it was opened. Alan’s parents, Arthur and Edith first took it on as a franchise and later became full owners. “We’ve never regretted being here as its always been an important part of the community,” said Alan. “Even the students have taken it to their hearts. I suppose that I’m the Willy Wonka of Newcastle. There is nothing to equal the excitement on the children’s faces while they pick their sweets.2 Their other passion is the rich North-east culture of song, storytelling and dance. Alan performs rapper, the Northumbrian Short Sword Dance: a form of Morris Dancing with attitude. Katherine teaches clog dancing and the Geordie folk songs at a number of schools that reach right across Tyneside. “We’re lucky to live in an area with such a strong culture, said Alan. “People love the fact that we’ve been here so long and that’s why we have developed such a reputation.” No doubt it is their sweets that give this remarkable couple the energy that they need for these spirited North-east dances