A family hailing from Sunninghill is gearing up to open a traditional sweet shop in the heart of the village this weekend.

The entrepreneurial group led by confectionery enthusiast, Zoe Howard, and daughter Poppy, acquired the property when Zoe’s dad - John - bought it at auction in April 2024.

The family has poured their heart and soul into this project over the last four months, causing quite a stir with residents across the village.

The move is a restoration of an essential part of the village scene that had been missing since the closure of the original local sweet shop.

The venture is expected to draw in residents and tourists alike.

Speaking about the project, Zoe said: "I was inspired to turn the forgotten property on High Street into a sweet shop because I always remember visiting the local sweet shop in Sunninghill when I was growing up and absolutely loving it.

"Since it shut down there hasn’t been anything like it since.

"Everyone is just so excited for it to open and we’ve had residents come through our doors already asking what to expect.

"The whole process has been a huge team effort and a labour of love. Everyone came together to contribute something to the preparations."

The sweet shop named Scrumptious, a term of affection for Zoe's children, is set to open its doors on Saturday, August 31.

The candy store will host a broad selection of delights which include pick and mix, jars of 100 traditional sweets, ice-cream, smoothies, milkshakes, waffles and Dutch pancakes.

Of note, the ice-cream is sourced from Marshfield Farm, an independent family business in Bath.

Bright pinks and blues are set to dazzle customers as they enter the world of sweets inside.

Despite her own Type one diabetes, Zoe has always had a sweet tooth—a delight she looks forward to sharing with her customers.

Scrumptious is all-inclusive, with all sweets labelled for dietary requirements such as sugar-free, vegan, glutan free and plant based ice-cream and milkshakes.

Prior to this, the family owned Ascot jazz bar – Jacks - for 20 years before closing it a decade back.

They are keen on welcoming everyone back into their sweet shop which will hopefully be open for years to come.