Hardy’s Original Sweet Shop is the kind of place you dream of as a kid; dark wood walls lined with shelves which almost buckle with sweet-filled jars. These entice shoppers with English favourites in a variety of flavours, from rhubarb and custard candy to humbugs.
Once you’re inside Hardy’s, all resistance will crumble. There is a pick-‘n-mix behind the counter where you can have one of everything, there are jars lining the walls that you can pick up and buy, and there are also enormous coloured candy lollipops that would make excellent gifts for anyone who has the slightest sweet tooth.
There are also American imports (Americans might be the kings of candy), including Nerdz, cans of pop, Pop Tarts and mini boxes of sugared cereals which burst with flavour. But, perhaps best of all, there are also traditional English treats like authentic toffee at only 99p a bar, fudge in a variety of flavours and some exceptional chocolate concoctions that you’ll find difficult to leave behind when you approach the till.
This is the kind of shop you simply must visit whilst in London with stores situated in Covent Garden, Charing Cross and Greenwich. The shop lets you experience that child-like excitement you get when you walk into your first sweetshop, the magical kind of store where you carefully choose the best sweets, which will later be wrapped up in a brown paper bag. I entered thinking I’d buy a very grown-up bar of dark chocolate and I left with a bar of toffee, some pick ‘n mix pigs made out of strawberry chocolate with candy crystals and an aeroplane-themed party pack.