The wall was full of big colourful glass jars with not a plastic bag in sight. eyes wandering from one to the other and back again, deciding on one then suddenly changing to another.

Bought by the quarter and shaken out or shovelled with a scoop into a tiny white paper bag.

It was an experience, not like todays pre-packed bags in the supermarkets.

MORE WAS OFTEN BETTER !

Four or eight for a penny (old penny) fruit Salads and Blackjacks.

The choices were endless, sugar mice or flying saucers, white chocolate Mice, Catherine wheels, Sherbert fountains, Humbugs, Cough candy, Sugar pips, Traffic light Gobstoppers, Parma violets, Candy Shrimps, Candy Bananas and even chocolate coated Bananas. Jubblies, sweet tobaco and cigarettes

But a Jamboree Bag had a selection of penny chews, boiled sweets, bubblegum, a Lollypop and with a little toy inside like a Christmas cracker. They also had cards which had a footballer or something as topical at the time on one side, and the reverse was a small part of a much larger jigsaw style picture.

There was also the most pointless of sweets, 'Rice Paper', it was thin and broke up in your fingers, it stuck to everything as soon as it was damp, and tasted of absolutely nothing!,