Young entrepreneur buys world's oldest sweet shop in Pateley Bridge

A young business entrepreneur says he has realised a childhood dream by buying the world's oldest sweet shop.

Ben Howie, 23, is now the proud owner of the Guinness world record-holding store in Pateley Bridge, a shop he visited regularly as a child.

The shop has been selling sweets to the people of the North Yorkshire village and surrounding area since 1827.

Mr Howie said he preferred to see himself as a "custodian" rather than owner of the historic business.

Growing up in nearby Knaresborough, Mr Howie said he was a regular visitor to the shop as a young boy.

"This business since my childhood has always been a fascination," he said.

"The history and heritage inside this shop is so interesting, everything from the floorboards upwards has history to it."

Mr Howie, who still lives at home with his parents, said he was keen to "continue the history of sweets and sweet making" in the location.

Despite the dangers of taking on a new business during the coronavirus pandemic, he said he believed it would continue to be a success.

"Yes, the pandemic is an added risk, but this business was very successful before - and that success outweighs the possible risk I saw," he said.

Former owner Keith Tordoff, who ran the shop for 25 years, sold the shop in order to pursue his ambition to become North Yorkshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

He said the shop's sale had attracted interest from Australia, the US and South Korea, but he felt Mr Howie was "the right person" for the job.

"There's a certain amount of sadness obviously and I've been having withdrawal symptoms as I've not been eating as many sweets," Mr Tordoff said.

"It's been a fantastic chapter in our lives. Let's see what the next chapter brings."

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