Canterbury's district population is around 162,100, swelled every year by roughly 7.2 million visitors drawn to the cathedral city — a lot of footfall for a high street that's more chain-heavy than it first looks.
The Buttermarket, and Hardys Original Sweetshop
Right outside Christ Church Gate, the main entrance to Canterbury Cathedral, sits the Buttermarket — a square that took its name from centuries of butter and produce trading, formalised with a market hall built in 1664 by John Somner, replaced by a corporation-funded market building in the 1790s, and centred today on a Grade II listed war memorial unveiled in 1891. A few steps away at 1 High Street, in another Grade II listed building that once housed a National Trust shop, Hardys Original Sweetshop stocks around 3,000 lines of traditional sweets, fudge and chocolate — part of a small chain with branches in Oxford, Cambridge, Windsor and Bath, but a genuine specialist rather than a supermarket aisle.
What even a 3,000-line sweet shop doesn't stock
Hardys is a proper sweet shop, bigger and better stocked than most city-centre specialists, but it's still built for browsing and buying by the bag rather than bulk. There's no trade case option, no dedicated vegan or halal-friendly range, and no way to order a 3kg bulk bag for a business or event.
Why Canterbury shoppers still end up ordering online
With around 7.2 million visitors a year, Canterbury's high street stays busy, but footfall and range are two different things — like most UK high streets, more of Canterbury's everyday shopping has shifted online over the past decade. For anything beyond a bag from Hardys or a supermarket shelf, delivery direct to a Canterbury address covers ground the high street doesn't.
25,000+ customers, and counting
We've served over 25,000 customers UK-wide, Canterbury included, with most orders dispatched within 1-2 business days. The range covers pick 'n' mix by the bag and tub, bulk bags from 1kg to 3kg, trade cases for events and businesses, vegan and halal-friendly sweets, retro favourites, and full chocolate ranges from the major brands.
Frequently asked questions
Do you deliver sweets to Canterbury?
Yes — UK-wide, including Canterbury, with most orders dispatched in 1-2 business days.
Is there a good sweet shop in Canterbury?
Hardys Original Sweetshop at 1 High Street stocks around 3,000 lines — a genuine specialist, but a retail counter, not a bulk supplier.
Can I buy bulk or wholesale sweets in Canterbury?
Not from the high street — we deliver bulk bags, multipacks and trade cases direct to Canterbury addresses instead.
Browse the full range in Pick 'n' Mix and Bulk Bags.