Liquorice Allsorts are the product of a happy accident. In 1899 one of Bassett’s sales representatives, called Charlie Thompson, dropped a tray of samples on the floor creating a muddle of sweets which would unknowingly become the Liquorice Allsorts we all know and love today.

At Sweets in the City, we’ve done our research about these colourful treats to bring you some of the most interesting facts about Liquorice Allsorts!

Where Did It All Begin?

The Bassett company, the father of many of our beloved sweets, was founded in 1842. The first Bassett sweet factory was opened shortly after in 1852 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The Bassetts factory has remained in Sheffield ever since!

Liquorice History

Liquorice Allsorts have only been gracing our sweet counters for the last hundred years or so, but liquorice has been a favourite throughout history. The Ancient Egyptians were especially fond of the sweet root, and historians even found some inside King Tutankhamun’s tomb!

Bertie Bassett

The iconic Liquorice Allsorts mascot, Bertie Bassett, was created by advertising copywriter Frank Regan. Bertie has truly become a recognisable British Figure over the years and recently wedded his high school sweetheart Betty (if you don’t believe us, take a look on YouTube!)

Liquorice Allsorts are unlike any other sweets on the market, truly distinguishable and totally delicious! If, like us, this blog has put you in the mood for some Liquorice Allsorts, then head over to our Pick & Mix page, find number 23 on our list and order yours today!

Browse our Pick & Mix Range

For more sweet facts – make sure you follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

Are you planning a baby shower or looking for the perfect gift for a mum-to-be? Here at Sweets in the City, we have a huge range of sweets that are perfect for friends, family and mums-to-be.

Baby Shower

As some of you may know, we recently catered for our close friend and Sarah Lynn's fellow Apprentice contestant, Michaela Wain’s baby shower. While guests celebrated the upcoming arrival of Michaela and Harrison’s little Prince, they enjoyed a selection of Sweets in the City sweets and personalised lollipops - all of which can be easily recreated for your own baby shower.

Create a sweet table using our Pick & Mix range

One way to add a pop of colour and make sure there are sweets on offer that all of your guests can enjoy is to create a sweet table with a selection of yummy goodies from our Pick & Mix range.

We think that colour coordinating your sweets with your baby’s gender adds an adorable touch to any baby shower. Here are our suggestions of pink and blue sweets from our Pick & Mix range that are perfect for the job!  Display these sweeties in big glass jars with matching ribbons to ensure everyone knows that it’s a girl or boy!

GIRL:

• Prosecco Sweets
• Strawberry Swirl Lollipop
• Strawberry Bonbons

BOY:

• Blue Raspberry Bonbons
• Blue Paintballs

Personalised Lollipops

For a more personal touch, why not have our Giant Lollipops personalised to commemorate your baby shower. These lollies are a great gift for your guests during the baby shower, or to take home and enjoy later!

Mum’s Emergency Stash

If you’re struggling to think of a special gift to take to an upcoming baby shower, why not treat mummy-to-be to our Mum’s Emergency Stash? That way, she’ll always have a sweet treat on-hand to combat those sleepless nights.

It’s hard to think of a celebration sweeter than a baby shower, but we want to ensure that your baby shower is the sweetest it can be! Whether you are hosting or going to a baby shower in the coming months, we have the perfect treats for you!

Halloween is approaching, you might be stocking up on pumpkins and deciding what you’re going to wear. But, thanks to busy lifestyles, prior commitments or fear of embarrassment, many of us won’t be trick or treating this year. Why not treat yourself, or a friend, to one of our spooky Halloween letterbox treats.

Trick or Treat Characters

This letterbox is ideal if you don’t want little ones knocking on doors and taking candy from strangers. The Halloween characters are scary and cute, the perfect treat for youngsters this Halloween.

Get One Here >

Trick or Treat!

This pumpkin orange letterbox treat is to die for! Its simple cobweb design and customisable label make this the perfect choice for an adult who deserves a special sweet treat this Halloween.

Order Yours Here >

Haunted Halloween

Our third and final Halloween letterbox is another perfect choice. We’ve combined a dark night scene with lots of pumpkin lanterns to create something quintessentially spooky! Send this box would be an amazing surprise for a Halloween lover with a sweet tooth.

Browse Our Halloween Letterbox Treats >

Trick or treating no longer requires you to spend all night outside in the cold. Treat someone to one of our spooky Letterbox Treats and give them a tasty Sweets in the City Halloween to remember.

During the first week of October, Age UK wants us to connect with our Grannies and Grandads on Grandparent’s Day to remind them how important they are. Here at Sweets in the City, we think that refilling their sweet jar, that you’ve no doubt helped to empty over the years, is the perfect way to do so.

Refill the Beloved Sweetie Jar

Your Grandparents were notorious for sneaking you a handful of Jelly Beans or Dolly Mixture when you were little, so why not repay the favour by gifting them their own ‘To Sweeten Your Day’ Giant Jar of Joy, or personalise one just for them? Hand deliver this gift and spend the day reminding your grandparents how much you love and appreciate them.

Have Your Gift Posted Directly Through the Letterbox

Our Letterbox Treats are an obvious choice of gift for Grandparent’s Day if you don’t have the time to visit them personally. You can combine a sentimental message with a sweet surprise, all while eliminating the need for Granny or Grandad to answer the door to a stranger. A winner all-round.

So, if you want to make your grandparents feel extra special this October then head over to Sweets in the City to find the perfect gift to sweeten their day. Don’t forget to check out Age UK’s website to see how you can support our grandparents all year round.

Becoming a big brother or sister can make little ones feel jealous. They’re no longer the centre of Mum and Dad’s attention and this can be hard for them to understand. Sweets in the City recommends treating them to a yummy gift so they feel included as visitors arrive with lots of presents for the new baby.

Personalised

A personalised gift from Sweets in the City is guaranteed to make any new brother or sister feel important. Above are examples of our Giant Lollipops and Jars of Joy that have been customised for the occasion. Guaranteed to make the little ones feel special.

You’re a Star

When Mum and Dad are busy preparing for the arrival of a new little one, big brothers and sisters may find themselves having to be very patient and well behaved. Our Little Jar of Star Sweets is the perfect way to let them know they’re a star. The perfect size for children, these fun gummy stars come in a mixture of blackcurrant, elderberry and grape flavours.

Sweets in the City offers customisation on almost all products, making it easier than ever for new brothers and sisters to feel included in the arrival of their sweet new sibling.

Looking for the perfect gift for Dad? Here we showcase our sweet treats that are ideal for; Dads that like to stash, nostalgic Dads and trendy Dads.

The Dad Stash

If you know a Dad who likes to stash his sugary treats where thieving hands can’t find them, why not treat him to his own Tuck Shop Sweet Box? Inside the Tuck Shop Sweet Box, Dad will find a variety of old-school tuck shop sweets and chocolate bars, all concealed inside a handy box. So good, he might even share!

Retro Dad

Dads notoriously love a blast from the past. Sweets in the City can help you transport him back to the 80’s with our Retro Classic range. Includes retro favourites such as; Refresher Chews, Cola Bottles & Flying Saucers. Customise our labels to send Dad a special message.

Trendy Dad

Gin sales are rocketing this year. If you know a Dad who likes to follow the trends and is partial to a gin & tonic, treat him to our Gin & Tonic Sweets.

Sweets in the City think Dads deserve some sweet recognition for everything they do for us. Whether you’re buying for a new dad or your own dad, we are guaranteed to have a gift to make him smile.

Do you know a sweet-toothed student about to start university? Whether you want to wish them good luck, save them from spending their valuable student finance on sweets throughout the year, or send them a little pick-me-up to nurse the freshers week hangover, Sweets in the City has lots to offer!

WISH THEM GOOD LUCK WITH A PERSONALISED GIFT

A personalised gift from Sweets in the City is the perfect way to wish someone good luck for their new adventure. Why not check out our Super Shakes, Giant Lollipops or Jars of Joy, that are all available for FREE personalisation to show your support.

ENSURE A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY WITH THE SWEET SOCIETY

Students like to know you’re thinking of them… even if they can’t seem to text you back. If you want to ensure that they have delicious sweet treats to look forward to every month throughout the year, we recommend signing up for our monthly subscription, Sweet Society. Our carefully curated sweet deliveries make the perfect gifts for university students!

THE HANGOVER CURE

Freshers week and those cheap Tuesday nights down the Student's Union is guaranteed to leave students all over the country a little worse for wear. Why not treat someone to the perfect Hangover Cure? Guaranteed to be a bigger hit than that leftover kebab or pizza.

Students everywhere will no doubt thank you for a sweet treat to get them through those tricky assignments and long lectures! To view our full range of sweet treats that will make great gifts for university students, click below! For further information on our sweets, please contact us today!

Browse Range of Sweets Gifts >

Admit it: we all have those times when we struggle to write the perfect message in a card or on a gift label. Either you know exactly what you want to say and just can't find a way to get it out...or you've hit a wall where your mind has gone completely blank, and you end up writing the same thing as last year.

Not everyone is naturally good with words, so to help, we have come up with a few tips that will make your message writing a whole lot easier. Our Letterbox Treats double up as a fantastic card, and all of our wonderful sweet gifts allow you to write a personalised message that will also definitely go a long way!

Be complimentary

If you are close to the person you are writing for, don't be afraid to throw in a compliment or two! They will help in making the recipient feel special in knowing that you admire certain qualities that they possess and will show that you appreciate them. Something like: "I am the luckiest person in the world to have such a sweet and funny friend like you."

Make the message unique

Writing a message that is unique to the person you're writing for is definitely one of the best ways to make your message stand out from others, especially if you're writing for an occasion such as a birthday where the recipient will be receiving a whole bunch of cards!

A personal message that only you and they will understand is the way to go here. Either an inside joke that nobody else would know about, or a more traditional message such as "I hope you get that pair of shoes you were hoping for." This shows not only that you've taken the time to think about the person, but that you actually listen to them and pay attention to what they have to say when you're with them.

Be funny

Even though every message that a person reads is appreciated, most of them tend to say the same, unimaginative things. If you stick with the usual platitudes, your message will be the same as the one before and the same as the next. By adding an element of humour, especially something that's personal, you'll make any reader smile and remember your message at the very end.

Be honest

This relates to messages that are a little more heart-felt rather than casual. Something you'd write to a significant other rather than a friend. Here, honesty is the best policy and the key is writing something that comes from the heart. You don't have to write a cheesy poem or anything like that, just something that shows the recipient how you really feel.

Writing the perfect message is only as difficult as you make it. It's easy to over-think and get stuck on what to write, so take your time and even practice if you need to. Once you're happy with what you've got, you can then transfer it over to the card and send it with the perfect gift - one of our Jars of Joy perhaps!?

Send a Gift >

If you follow our simple tips, you will be an expert in writing the perfect message, no matter the occasion.

Is your big day approaching? Are you trying to think of a fun way to fill up your guests while secretly satisfying your own sweet tooth? Well, there's no better way to do it than with pick and mix sweets for your wedding reception.

Everybody loves sweets, and they are a great way to get the party started. Just think great music, great company, a party atmosphere, and loads of yummy sweets within easy reach. Perfect, right? We certainly think so! If you've got some stubborn guests who refuse to dance, some sweets might even encourage them to get out of their seats, indulge themselves at the sweet table, and maybe show off their moves!

From fizzy cola bottles to flying saucers and jelly beans, we have a wide selection of sweets to choose from - click the link below to see for yourself!

Browse our Pick & Mix range >

Here are two great ways to utilise our sweets to make your wedding party a sweet hit:

Wedding Sweet Cart

Use our sweets for a classic wedding sweet cart!

When you were younger, did you ever use those pink-and-white-striped paper bags to buy pick 'n' mix at the sweet shop or the cinema? So did we! Those stripy bags still bring back glimpses of childhood memories, so why not use them at your wedding reception? 

A wedding sweet cart is a great way to add nostalgic vibes to your special day and get all the guests reminiscing about their carefree childhood days. Everyone will enjoy helping themselves to some sweet goodies, and the compact nature of a sweet cart makes this a great choice for smaller, more intimate wedding venues. Pair a vintage wedding sweet cart with Sweets in the City's Pick & Mix range and you'll have the perfect match to satisfy any sweet tooth!

Wedding Sweet Table

A whole table full of treats!

This could be a better option for larger wedding parties in more modern spaces. All you need is a large table, a pretty tablecloth of your choice, and of course, a whole bunch of sweets for your guests to enjoy!

 With guests enjoying themselves and plenty of refreshments to go around, you can relax and watch your wedding sweet table do all of the entertaining for you while you cherish your special day that little bit more.

Use the links below to order some pick and mix for your wedding day - be sure to get enough for everyone!

Pick & Mix Sweets >   Wedding Sweet Gifts >

Jelly babies are something of a classic when it comes to sweets – they’ve been around for as long as any of us can remember (and probably as long as your Grandparents can remember, too!) but where did it all start? Jelly Babies went through quite the timeline to get to where they are today.

Sweets in the City have all the deets from the Jelly Baby origin story… along with a few interesting facts, to sweeten your historic knowledge.

A Sweet Invention

I know what you’re thinking, what incredible genius invented the delicious jelly baby? Well, legend has it that it was an Australian immigrant in 1864. The initial invention was something of a mistake…he was meant to create a mould for jelly bears, however, (for reasons which may be forever lost in time) it seems the jelly baby was born instead – pun wholly intended.

And thus, the reign of the jelly baby began. After a short hiatus, classic sweet manufacturer Basset’s took up the style of the rather darker original name ‘unclaimed babies’ and rebranded them ‘Peace Babies’ to mark the end of World War I. These new sweets had a more realistic baby look , closer to the sweets we know today.

Ironically, the production of Peace Babies was halted by wartime shortages in World War II, but – luckily for all of us – they were relaunched officially as Jelly Babies in 1953, just in time for the rock & rollin’ 50’s era!

Who are the Jelly Babies?

Maybe it sounds like a weird question, but Sweets in the City happens to know that jelly babies come with their own personas – even their own names!

The Jelly Baby gang consists of Bubbles (the yellow one!), Baby Bonny (that’s the red one – to you and me), Boofuls (the green jelly baby), Bigheart (the dark purple, blackcurrant flavoured baby) and Bumper (by process of elimination, Bumper is, of course, the orange one)!

Not only do they have names, Jelly Babies are something of a household name – and that’s not just because they’re so tasty. They’ve made more than one TV appearance over the years, their portfolio includes: Doctor Who, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series and even Doc Martin.

Why is the green jelly baby crying?

The eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed that Boofuls – everyone’s favourite green Jelly Baby – appears to be crying. But don’t worry, nothing terrible has happened – Boofuls is just a little sensitive. In a 1993 Jelly Babies advert, it was revealed the Boofus cries at everything – whether she’s happy or sad – “she’s a real cry baby”.

We <3 Jelly Babies

We’re not sure about you, but all those Jelly Baby sweet facts have put us in the mood for some Jelly Babies of our own. Luckily for you, you really are in the right place. Go to this page to buy  your favourite Jelly Babies in bulk – that’s right, in bulk! Your Jelly Baby stash will go a long way with this order – and feel free to pick out your other sweet favourites while you’re there.

Don’t forget to impart your knowledge on Bubbles, Bonny, Boofuls & Bigheart when sharing them around… For more fun sweet facts, make sure you’re following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.