Being a young a kid in a candy shop is a distant memory for most of us.

But as a Victorian-style confectioners opens its doors in South Woodford, residents with a sweet tooth get to enjoy a sugary trip into taste bud nostalgia.

Crystal Wilde reports.

WHETHER it was gobstoppers, rhubarb and custards, humbugs or lemon drops, there was a whole array of sugary delights which got stuck in our teeth when we were kids.

But as confectioner specialists dwindled along with the demise of independent shops, our favourite fancies became harder and harder to get our sticky fingers on.

But not anymore, as Saturday saw the grand opening of Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in George Lane, to the wide-eyed delight of greedy guzzlers of all ages and persuasions.

The shop boasts a mouth watering selection of traditional treats, from bon bons to flying saucers, which line the walls in authentic jars in an eye-popping array of colour.

Woodford franchisee Daniel Browers, who runs the shop along with partners Simon Brody and Steven Goldstone, said: "We are bringing back the way people used to shop in terms of actually being served by a member of staff rather than just picking up a packet of sweets in the super market.

"I'm 37 and even when I was at school we had a sweet van that came around and most of the sweets I haven't seen since.

"Now that Woolworths has gone too there's nowhere local to get them.

"So many people asked us what was going on when we were busy setting up and their faces just lit up when we told them.

"It's just a completely different experience and any other sweet shop wouldn't be able to compete."

The Mr Simms vision was originally inspired by an etching of an old fashioned sweet shop discovered in a 1958 confectionery magazine, but now 25 of the nostalgic stores stand across the country.

Mr Browers said: "I think we're going to be very busy.

"There's so much interest in the area and no one can resist their old favourites."