There’s a special kind of magic about an old-fashioned sweet shop.
Thousands of Scots will remember fondly the childhood joy that came with skipping to the sweet shop with your pocket money, watching intently as your chosen sweets were fetched from the shelves and weighed, and finally the crinkle of the paper bag ready to be taken home.
Now, the vast majority of traditional sweet shops have vanished from the Scottish high street, and those that remain stand as a relic of simpler and happier times.
In this nostalgic photo gallery, we take you on a sentimental journey through eight of Scotland’s most iconic sweetshops you might remember from your childhood.
5. Gordon and Durward, Crieff
Gordon and Durward was founded in 1925 just around the corner from where it is now. Mr Durward and his wife, whose maiden name was Gordon, ran the business until they emigrated to South Africa in 1947. Despite changing hands, the business continued to grow, and their produce is now found in retailers across the UK. The much-loved brand still honours its traditional recipes and techniques to make its renowned Scottish butter tablet, fudge and macaroon | Google Maps
6. Coia's Sweet Shop, West Lothian
This Armadale institution, which opened in 1969, was loved by every child in the area. James and Giorgio Coia took over the store in 1996 from their parents, Nicandro and Concetta. It said an emotional goodbye to the community last year when the brothers' announced they were retiring from the shop Photo: Lisa Ferguson
7. Small’s Sweet Shop, Angus
This iconic family-run sweet shop on Castle Street, in Forfar, finally closed its doors last year after being run by the same family for over 60 years. The shop was a favourite among locals and visitors alike, and was loved for its traybakes, tablet and chocolates | Google Maps
8. Jeannie Veitch's, Edinburgh
Another sweet shop adored by Edinburgh residents was Jeannie Veitch's. Author of Edinburgh Southside Through Time, Jack Gillon, recalls: “It was in a wee, unassuming one-storey building at East Crosscauseway, a stone’s throw from where they made Edinburgh Rock. Jeannie founded it in the 1870s and her two girls ran it after she died in the fifties. It had a formidable reputation. It was famed among Southside kids as the place to go for toffee apples, boilings and fudge." There was also a second shop opposite the New Victoria Cinema, which later became the Odeon | NurPhoto via Getty Images