Fond memories of ‘proper’
Charlie and chocolate factory-style shop praised
DO YOU remember the oldfashioned sweet shop next to the former Classic/Odeon cinema on Lord Street in Southport town centre?
They were the days when you would walk up the steps into the premises and see row upon row of jars of sweets of all different flavours, colours, shapes and sizes. They needed stepladders to get most of the jars down.
The sweets would be carefully weighed out on a set of scales, in ‘quarters’ or ‘halves’, before being presented in white paper bags to take away and enjoy in the cinema next door.
These golden days were brought back to life by a superb post in our Stand Up For Southport Facebook group by Jude Cherry.
She posted: “I used to love getting my 1/4 of strawberry Bon Bons from the sweet shop next to the old cinema (where the Vincents Hotel is now). I never knew what it was called, we just always called it the Cinema Sweet shop.
“Is it still there? Can anyone point me in the direction of any photos of it? “I’ve tried Googling but just came up with photos of the cinema itself or The Vincent.”
Jude’s inquiry met with a huge response, with over 120 comments from people sharing their recollections of visits there.
Does the old cinema sweet shop bring back happy memories for you? Do you have any photos? Please join our post on Stand Up For Southport or email us at: standupforsouthport@ gmail.com
Neill Anderson said: “I remember going to that cinema. The good old days.”
Ali Son said: “Remember it well, a few steps up to get into the shop, proper Charlie and the chocolate factory style shop.”
Matt Stock said: “It was called Delice and was owned by I think Mr Melville? who also owned Playwell Sports in Birkdale Village. I worked there for a while.”
Maria Cusick said: “My favourite was also a quarter of strawberry Bon Bons before the cinema (you know the ones that took your fillings out lol!) and alphabet letters as well - they also had them in the sweet stall in Southport Market!”
Michala Leyland said: “I loved lemon Bon Bons or Cola Cubes.”
David Drummond said: “In the 1930s it was called the Milk Bar and