Address: 58 Gillygate, York, YO31 7EQ
Description
A metal sign above the doorway and windows features ‘Cadbury’s Chocolate’ and ‘Bournville Chocolate’ in gold text, with a red oval reading ‘Beck’.
History
York has a rich history with chocolate, a legacy that continues to this day.
It was once said that the air would be filled with the scent of chocolate and a thick layer of chocolate dust would cover every surface as it wafted from the city’s chocolate factories.
These factories were the main employers in the city, with a combined workforce of 18,000 people.
Remarkably, a quarter of York’s working population was involved in the confectionery industry.
York was the base for three major UK chocolate-making families: Rowntree’s, Terry’s, and Cravens. Terry’s even still has a visible ghost sign in St Helen’s Square.
1961 – Terry’s shop on St Helen’s Square Source: York Press
The shopfront on Gillygate dates back to 1928-1930, during a brief period when a confectioner named B. Beck operated there.
Before that, in the early 1900s, the building was a fruit seller’s shop owned by Andrew Ernest.
In the 1960s, it was taken over by Enid Pegg, another confectioner.
The sign remained hidden for years, only being uncovered in 2020. Since then, it has stayed visible, as the building is currently unoccupied, offering a nostalgic glimpse into York’s sweet past.
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