The classic British seaside treat known as “rock” is facing threats from cheap imports flooding the market from China, causing local manufacturers in Blackpool, a popular resort town on England’s northwest coast, to cry foul. For over 100 years, rock has been a staple of the country’s coastal resorts and even served as a metaphor for morality in Graham Greene’s famous novel “Brighton Rock,” written when this super-sweet hard candy shaped into long sticks became popular around the turn of the 20th century.
Handcrafted by artisans, usually based in Blackpool, rock is at risk due to cheap imports that are undercutting prices and putting local manufacturers out of business. David Thorp, director of Stanton & Novelty Confectioners, one of only ten remaining factories producing the candy, stated that it was a very recent problem as they had always been aware of Chinese confectionery but didn’t expect them to begin making sticks of rock too. The handmade product has longtime associations with seaside towns across Britain; Stanton & Novelty make over 150 varieties for around 150 coastal resorts, each town’s name embedded into the candy stick, in various brightly-coloured shapes. Fourteen workers work at their factory and Thorp’s parents have also been involved since its founding by his grandfather in 1969. The UK manufacturers claim that Chinese rock is being sold for as little as £0.15 ($0.18) per stick, making it difficult to compete on price.
The co-signers of the letter sent to the government include Thorp and Anita McAleese from McAdams Confectionery who stated that most consumers have no idea where their candy comes from as they believe everything is made in Blackpool when bought at seaside resorts along the country’s southwest coastline. Although some connoisseurs consider local brands better quality than Chinese-made counterparts, with a lettering system woven into each stick that can only be created by hand using differently coloured candy while still soft and malleable – the cheap imports do not feature this design element due to a lack of experience amongst overseas craftspeople. Local production would reduce distribution costs also associated in producing it entirely here instead; UK confectionary already comprises imported raw sugar that could go up once Brexit goes ahead with costly energy prices currently escalating throughout Britain as well, making life harder for these businesses too.
The petitioners requesting governmental support hope to make candy production from anywhere across the country eligible under a similar scheme protecting other British food and drink products such as Cornish pasties or Melton Mowbray pork pies with distinct place names tied closely with their origins, ensuring that only locally produced rock can be sold using these terms. Thorp explained how it would allow more homegrown producers to benefit from the same privileges rather than just limiting this to Blackpool’s remaining factories as a means of stopping public consciousness allowing superficial commercial competitors with potentially detrimental manufacturing standards to continue their activities at local manufacturers’ expense.
The business owners involved in making and distributing these nostalgic sticks say that, whilst some customers might still prefer European holidays over traditional British seaside breaks, the candy’s appeal remains a national heritage item associated strongly with family trips along coastal towns for many Britons regardless of their age or background.
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