Chesterfield's '£1 sweets man' shares stories of life on the market

Grandad Darren Preece, 55, is a well-known face in the town centre where he dishes out his inflation-defying sugary treats and chats to passers-by.

He says he has another ‘10 years in him’ as a market trader and business is booming thanks to his loyal following in Chesterfield and a new venture providing sweets for weddings and other occasions.

Darren said: “I have built up a good following and have some regular customers who come long in all weathers.

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“I’m here whatever the weather is like because of the old people who come along for their sweets.

“Everybody who goes past seems to talk to me even if they aren’t buying anything. And I always keep serving as I talk to people. There are some faces I see virtually every day.

“I have some good laughs with a lot of people.”

Darren started on the market about three years ago, moving to his current pitch near Chesterfield Library and opposite McDonald’s a year after that.

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“Before that I had sold sweets at a car boot sale,” he said. “I was welcomed with open arms on Chesterfield Market and the manager has been a great help. It has all built up from there.”

Key to Darren’s fame in the town has been his decision to price all bags of sweets at £1 – and he says he has no plans to raise the price.

Most of the sweets on the stall are traditional but Darren now also sells dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan options. He has also started selling some modern treats such as candy canes and chocolate pretzels.

“You have to move with the times a bit,” Darren said. “I also provide sweets for weddings where people pay £50 and pick 60 bags of sweets and a box of lollies. It is going well and proving pretty popular.”

Unsurprisingly, Darren has any number of stories to tell after his lengthy stint on the market and he has helped out a lot of people, many of them strangers, in that time.

“One morning there was a young, homeless girl who had been beaten up wandering around as I was setting up,” he said.

“As soon as McDonalds opened I bought her a coffee and some breakfast. I wanted to do more so on my way home called in at a church and asked if they could do anything for her.

“They found her a little flat in the end and she still comes to see me.

“Another time this lady said her purse had been stolen out of her bag and asked if I could lend her £10 to get home. A week later she came by to give me the £10 back and bought £10 of sweets too.”

For more information on Grandad’s Sweets and to book for a special occasion, call 07943559695.