Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop

Travel Guide

The fictional town of Lipton was partly inspired by the James Herriot books and she mentions at the start of the book that both these and her love of Derbyshire inspired her to recreate that sense of pleasure and rural fun.

Having tried really hard to find Lipton in real life – there must be one and if not Jenny Colgan should build one! – that we came across Hope set in the Hope Valley. Now if this not the place to recreate the hope and happiness of the Colgan novels then we don’t know what is.

Having seen the map of Lipton at the start of the book, we can’t help feel that Hope really matches up. And there are lovely cafes and places to stop off here and in nearby Castleton and eat those sweets that Jenny suggests you make with the recipes at the back.

The book recreates that magic of Tiny Tim peering through the windows of a sweet shop and dreaming what might be inside it.
Lipton is full of interesting characters such as the gay GP, Anton who particularly loves sweets and Edison the rather strange and serious 7 year old.

Lipton was so proud it had managed to hang on to its Post office, Spar and its pub…

A true warm community waits you in Lipton and Rosie is your ideal guide.

Sweets

There is a mighty fine sweet shop here too – peverilstores.co.uk

Gorgeous sweet shop an hour’s drive from hope – mrsimmsoldesweetshoppe.co.uk