Wigan sweet firm secures luxury hotel deal

The boiled sweets, first made in the kitchen of a Victorian terraced house in Wigan in 1898, are still manufactured using the same original recipe and are known around the world.

They will now be packaged in an exclusive Claridge’s tin and given to guests as a departure gift.

At the centre of London's Mayfair since 1856, Claridge's embodies grand English style, timeless glamour and impeccable, intuitive and highly tailored service.

During the 1920s it became an English institution; an art deco landmark, loved by movie stars and statesmen, fashion designers and global dignitaries.

Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls are made by Wigan-based William Santus and Co Ltd, a privately-owned traditional sweet company.

Each year 33 million sweets are made in the same way as the first ones, when William Santus’s wife Ellen started boiling up sugar in the kitchen of her home in Acton Street, Wigan.

They soon became a local favourite and as their fame spread, so did the slogan "They keep you all aglow".

The ownership has been passed down through the family generations and joint managing directors John and Antony Winnard are the great, great nephews of the company’s founder.

They said: “We are honoured and delighted to have our sweets stocked by such a world-famous hotel and hope that this is just the start of a relationship that will see Claridge’s guests from around the world getting the opportunity to enjoy Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls.”