A shopping centre is celebrating the sweet taste of success – with a hat-trick of new stores.
The latest arrival at Eagles Meadow in Wrexham is Sugacane, the UK’s fastest growing franchise.
It comes hot on the heels of the recently-opened kitchen and bathroom specialists, Ever Beyond.
Completing the hat-trick will be the successful jewellery chain, F Hinds, who are due to open for business at Eagles Meadow in May.
Sugacane was established by Nick and Louise Signey, who opened the first store in Bakewell, in Derbyshire, where they live.
The Wrexham branch, which will employ six people, will be their first North Wales outlet – and only the third in Wales after Swansea and Newport.
The Sugacane brand, described as traditional sweet shops with a twist, was launched two years ago in the teeth of the recession.
It’s been a retail phenomenon which now has more than 30 stores across the UK – and more to come.
Being appointed Store Manager is a dream job for Samantha Balaams, from Wrexham.
She said: “It is really exciting and seeing it coming together from scratch has been fantastic. It’s going to be a fun place to work.”
Area Manager Rob Short said: “We have currently 27 franchised stores and this is the fifth company run store.
“It is the UK’s fastest growing franchise. By the end of the year there will be another 25 to 30 stores open and then next year Sugacane will have towards 100 stores.
“We sell lots of types of different sweets and confectionary, beautiful chocolate. We sell hot chocolate. There’s an awful lot going on in the store.
“It’s a product that appeals to any age range. Some people think it’s just for kids – nothing could be further from the truth.
“We now do a great range of Halal based sweets so we can cover different religions and their requirements. We cater for vegetarians and we have a massive range of sugar free sweets.
“We also have nuts and fruits, so we can do the healthy option. We are so much more than just a sweet shop. You can also have a coffee or a hot chocolate.
“We do hand-made Belgian chocolate and our consultant supplies the likes of Harrods and Selfridges.
“Hopefully, Wrexham will like what we do. We’re in a great part of Wrexham and hopefully we complement the other outlets here.
“Eagles Meadow is unusual because it’s like shopping centre within a high street, it’s part of the town. It’s got some nice shops and there’s a cinema here.”
For Eagles Meadow Manager Kevin Critchley, it’s an opportunity to indulge his sweet tooth.
He said: “The shop is so bright and colourful, it is really attractive. It’s a very good quality shop fit and the products they are selling in there are stunning.
“It’s a very new brand but it has been phenomenally successful – when they opened a store in London, they sold five tones of sweets in the first five weeks.
“They are not just doing sweets, they do a range of coffees and milkshakes.
“I have got quite a good knowledge of shopping centres in the region – and our success is certainly bucking the trend.
“We are opening new shops when other people are losing them. We have a jewellery shop opening in May and I’m confident there will be more before the end of the year.
“This is generating a genuine momentum and helping to underline Wrexham’s credentials as the shopping capital of North Wales.”
