Sponsored by
Success is sweet for Susan
Susan Wilson at The Candy Corner in Amble.
A NEW shop opens its doors in Amble on Saturday, with hopes that it will be a sweet success.
The Candy Corner is a new venture by Susan Wilson.
Described as a sweet shop with a difference, it is the realisation of a dream for the Gloster Park resident who has always wanted to run her own shop.
And she says that the Wellwood Street-based business could lead to the creation of much-needed jobs in the town, if all goes well.
She said: “We will be selling luxury items, like fine Belgian chocolates, nougat and other items such as different flavoured rock and boiled sweets.
“It will be an old-fashioned-style shop with friendly service and will offer that little bit extra and will be a bit different, so hopefully it will be good for Amble.
“I will be running it myself but I am hoping that trade will create job vacancies and there will be a situation where I can bring jobs to Amble.”
Bags of sweets are set be handed out at Saturday’s grand launch, which will begin at around 9am, and customers are in line to receive some free samples. The shop is due to open its doors every day of the week.
It comes at what has been a tough time for the town, which includes the uncertain future of the Border Laird factory, with up to 80 jobs at risk.
But Susan said the opening of The Candy Corner showed that there was still faith in the town, adding: “It would have been easy to look elsewhere but I felt that there was nothing wrong with Amble. It is a lovely place and it is not all doom and gloom.”
Mayor of Amble Coun Leslie Bilboe is delighted that a new shop is opening, describing it as ‘absolutely wonderful’ and urged people to ‘embrace it’.
He said: “The more shops we have opening in Amble then the better it is for the town. Hopefully it will motivate others to come and start up businesses in Amble, which is what it is all about.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northumberland
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 17 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
leslie mason
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:49 PMyour right about the sad british way of thinking. it is true what you say about the british attitude being bad towards someone doing better than oneself, i was once told many years ago by mr levey himself. after he lived in america for a few years, he told me the different attitudes such as; if you have a nice car in america, youll get people admiring it and saying what a lovely car, one day i hope to have one like it, however, in britain, if you have a lovely car, you get people saying, ill never have car like that and because he has something i dont have ill go and scratch the paintwork and ruin the car. this is the typical british attitude and all i can say about people like that is go and get a life. good luck with the shop, but watch out you dont expand too quickly and end up struggling with the vat later on in your venture.
candycorner
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:18 PMJust one more point, my husband, who has an electrical and property maintenance business, has helped to make this possible by investing his money into this business because he thinks Amble is a great place to be. He has for the last year given work to to local tradesmen and builders on a regular basis. He does not have too, as he has a large list of tradesmen looking for work, but does because he has faith in this community and loves the area. Personally, I think these are difficult times, but in such times, if we pull together and support what we have, we can move forward, which will only make us stronger.
candycorner
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:36 PMThanks for all your comments, especially the positive ones, for those we thank you, as to the negative ones, well perhaps if you stopped for a moment and gave a thought to those who wish to put something back into the community they live in, trying to make it a better place, and taking a chance, well you might have something in your mind that is called "Community Development". We are not looking to make a "quick buck",run away and leave!! but offer a service to local people at a price that is affordable to all. Just for the record, we don't just sell luxury items or for that matter things aimed at holiday makers and tourists only, we are trying to cater for everybody, we even sell things for 2p. (luxury market, if you think that's a luxury item, then I think you need to 'wake up and smell the bacon) It's a great shame that the British way of thinking does not support people who try in this country, rather tries to knock them down before they start. We have been open less than a week and are about to offer someone a job, and, if we can grow there will be more offers of work for local people which according to the current employment offers around the town, must be a plus. Would you like us to just give up and walk away, or be able to grow and help in the development of Amble
leslie mason
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 03:01 PMi do not know the exact figures of population, but population does not mean more business will come to the shop. there are many tourists visit amble as there is alnwick and i would reckon this shops main income will be from tourists, as is the fish and chip shops, cafes, etc. also the reason so many shops are empty, is the high running costs of business rates. the lower profit you make, the more you have to sell. id reckon there will be a very high profit margin on sweets, unlike the electrical goods i sold. also, a town is an attraction when there is a variation of shops for shoppers to buy from. it is pointless having a row of shops selling all the same goods, the more selection of shops there is in a town, the more trade it will attract. one things for sure though, if you have a business to provide for locals and locals only, you wont find enough pubs in alnwick or amble to provide for locals as boozing alcohol seems the only attraction for them
ManoftheNorth
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:03 PMOh come on, there is a huge difference between Amble and Alnwick in terms of population, disposable income, tourist income etc to name just three. And yes, there are loads of empty shops on both towns but just think WHY those shops are empty in the first place. You say your shop closed in 2000 - the world of commerce is a very different place now to what it was then. As I said before - good luck to her BUT personally I feel a sweet shop is not the best venture given the current economic circumstances in Amble.
leslie mason
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:17 AMmeant to say should not be knocked. in previous post. bad typing
leslie mason
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:16 AMalnwick, amble, timbucktoo whats the difference. the fact remains someone is giving it their best shot and you cant blame them, they are creating their own employment and possibly employment for others. this is a good thing and should be knocked. what do you expect people to do, sign on the dole the rest of their lives and moan and groan about the situation...there doing something about it. its good for the area. if there was more people like this, alnwick, amble, morpeth, rothbury etc etc. go for it. there are plenty of empty shops available. better than sitting on your behind, this lady isnt, she is making her dream a reality. if it doesnt work out, so what, she wont know until she has tried.
ManoftheNorth
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:04 AMLeslie Mason - thought you were talking about a shop in Amble
leslie mason
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:06 AMman of the north. i was on the dole before i started my shop and i didnt get any entilted grants for starting up, guess my pride got in the way. so, the answer to your question is, i didnt have any money to start off, i started off with nothing. i am not necessarily bragging about my business going under, but merely stating the facts. i did not have my head screwed on right is the reason it didnt work out. if you cant remember it, my shop was on clayport street and closed in year.2000, below sams haridressers, where clayport jewellers is now. i do not totally consider my venture a failure, because in one respect it wasnt. it tought me a lesson to be satisfied with what you have got, which prior to opening my business, i wasnt happy with the income of being on the dole. my views are changed now after my experiences of running my own business. in fact, running your life on a daily basis is very similar to running your own shop. you have to have your eyes peeled from tee leafs(theifs), the ones you least expect, dressed smartly calling themselves solicitors or accountants, they are smartly dressed because they can afford it taking your belongings from you, on the other hand, the ordinary guy with poor clothing is the one who doesnt steal, so he cant afford to buy smart clothes. so there you have it, i dont consider having my shop a failure, as it has changed my perspective so i see how people are in reality. thats not mentioning the fun i had with the multiple lady friends gained by owning my own shop business. i have travelled the world without boarding a plane or ship, simples.
ManoftheNorth
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:53 AMLeslie Mason - maybe more of us would give it a go if we could afford to as you obviously could. I cannot believe you are bragging about the fact your shop went under (cant remember it btw). She's going to have to sell a hell of a lot of bags of sweets and luxury Belgian chocs to cover the £6000 rent pa which is what that property was asking for! Does Amble really need another sweet shop - I don't believe so! If she has done her market research and honestly believes she has a customer base then good luck to her - she will need it. The problem in Amble at the moment is too many people are in danger of losing their jobs (or already have done). Given the site of the property, the fact that the last two occupants have failed miserably in that location and that she is selling luxury items I fear she is riding for a fall too. It's a long time until the holiday season and as the cosmetics people and the coffee house found out to their cost, the tourists don't go to that part of the town very much.
jackiehva
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 01:19 AMI remember the sweet shops of my childhood in Wooler, with jars of candies that would be scooped out, weighed and handed over in a paper "sweetie bag." What I would give for some jelly babies today.
jackiehva
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 01:16 AMThe best of luck, Susan, and ignore the negativism. Give your customers a fine product at a fair price, with plenty of variety. Always have a smile on your face (even when it may be hard), and give Amble a reason to be optimistic. Congratulations! I wish I lived closer--I'd be first in line for those Belgian chocs.
leslie mason
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:24 AMwhy dont you lot do something like this? she is giving it a go and if it doesnt work out, at least she can say, well ive give it a go, ive tried and i feel better for trying. ill tell ye all, when i had my shop, it opened my eyes, i began living my life and thoroughly enjoyed every moment i had with the people i met, alright, it didnt work out financially, but i put a big smile on my face i will never forget. i mass enjoyed masel with the experience. you lot should give it a go, win or loose, and enjoy it, i certanly did.
rooney
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 07:29 PMgood luck to her. because this shop will bve shut before the end of the year
leslie mason
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 06:26 PMwell at least someone is doing what they can to make a living, cos it aint easy around here to get a job with pay you can live on.
Page 1 of 2
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.