Arcadia sweetshop in Bedford has celebrated its 120th anniversary, officially becoming the oldest shop in the town centre.
The family-run independent sweet shop opened in the Old Arcade in 1905 and has continued to serve the public, surviving through two world wars, 21 prime ministers and several recessions.
The shop itself has not changed much since its opening, with the interior staying almost the same. Still hanging above the shelves are numerous sweet manufacturers’ names from across the years, some that have now disappeared into obscurity.
One notable company, Callard and Bowser, were once known for their toffees, mints and nougats as well as releasing a questionable advert in the 1980s, featuring British airmen being held as prisoners of war but being able to keep their mouths shut due to sucking on their delicious toffees throughout the interrogation.
Within the iconic jars are timeless classics, some of which have faded into obscurity. Lesser-known favourites like sherbet Soor Plooms and aniseed Army and Navy’s are still sold here.
Sadly, the shop cannot save every sweet from disappearing, as they revealed the death of the hard-boiled ‘sweet peanut’, which had amassed a cult following.
To celebrate its anniversary, the shop held a party in the Old Arcade, inviting those who had grown up with the shop to come in and share their memories.
Many people came and reminisced about visiting the shop with their parents to buy a quarter of sweets from a jar or to choose from the pick and mix.
Childhood memories
We heard from a variety of people, including one who came to the shop with their grandmother in the 1940s, to an ex-shopkeeper who worked at Arcadia when she was 17.
One older woman came in and talked nostalgically about a stool she would come and sit on and snack on a bag of sweets, whilst waiting for her mother to finish talking to the shopkeeper.
She described the stool in detail and was astonished to find that it is still being used in the shop to this day. Once the woman saw the stool, she burst into joyful tears at the sight of it, just showing how important shops like these are to the public.
As the shop celebrates 120 years, we are reminded how important shops like this are to the community. Alongside Harrison and Simmonds (established in 1928, so soon to celebrate their centenary), Arcadia are a glimpse into the High Street’s past.
We have lost many other classics over the years, including the previous oldest shop in Bedford, hardware store Goldings, which shut its doors in 2019.
Read: “Iconic” Goldings to close after 150 years on Bedford High Street
This ended its 152-year legacy and is a reminder to ‘use them or lose them’ to keep these older shops alive and preserve the dwindling history of Bedford.
The Arcadia sweetshop is found in Bedford’s Old Arcade and is open weekdays and weekends, excluding Sundays. You can shop in-store or online at their website here.
Published as part of our work experience partnership with Sharnbrook Academy
