Whether partial to a rhubarb and custard, a jelly bean, or some liquorice, residents at a Stowmarket care home were delighted at the opening of their very own old fashioned sweet shop and tearoom.

Chilton Court, which is home to 35 residents, unveiled its new shop Chilton Allsorts on Tuesday, selling sugary treats, greetings cards, wordsearches and more.

Children from the nearby Foxglove Nursery were also at the grand opening and were able to enjoy some chocolate for themselves, much to their excitement.

East Anglian Daily Times: Vicky Willis-Betts, carehome manager, and Nicola Gibbs, trainee administrator, were delighted at the opening.Vicky Willis-Betts, carehome manager, and Nicola Gibbs, trainee administrator, were delighted at the opening. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

East Anglian Daily Times: Children from Foxglove Nursery visit the care home each weekChildren from Foxglove Nursery visit the care home each week (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Vicky Willis-Betts, carehome manager, said: “For a lot of people coming into a care home, they are worried about what is being taken away from them. But this shop gives residents a degree of control – they can come down and buy some sweets or a card, and they do not have to depend on anyone to buy things.

“The residents had tasting sessions before deciding which sweets they wanted to be sold. It is their shop. We work here but it is their home so they have a very big say in what happens.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Mayor Terence Carter, care home residents, and local nursery children all enjoyed some sweets from the shop.Mayor Terence Carter, care home residents, and local nursery children all enjoyed some sweets from the shop. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

East Anglian Daily Times: There were plenty of varieties to choose from.There were plenty of varieties to choose from. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

East Anglian Daily Times: Volunteers got stuck in serving everyoneVolunteers got stuck in serving everyone (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Stowmarket Mayor Terence Carter, who cut the ribbon and officially opened the shop, said: “Our favourite sweets are one of the things we all remember from our childhoods. It brings us back to our younger years, no matter how old you are. To be able to share sweets with friends and family, gives back to the residents here.”

The name Chilton Allsorts was thought up by a resident.

Jasmine Cochrane, who has been living at the care home for two years, said: “We have all sorts of people living here and we have all sorts of different sweets in the shop so that’s where the name came from.”

Chilton Court is currently looking for volunteers to help run the shop, which is currently open three days a week for a few hours.

The opening of the shop and tearoom, as well as a recent hairdressing salon, is well-timed for a care home open day in late June.