By Sid Chadwick
Expert baker Robert Firth has expanded to open his second shop, putting his new Huddersfield-branded sweet treat centre stage.
Robert, who runs Cake Castle in Westbourne Road, Marsh, has now opened Huddersfudge in the Imperial Arcade in Huddersfield town centre.
And, as the name suggests, the shop specialises in Robert’s own handmade fudge while also selling other bakery items from Robert’s kitchen.
The shop was officially opened by Robert’s grandmother Carol Firth on Saturday and it’ll be run by his mum Paula McClory.
Robert, who creates bespoke cakes for special occasions, was in a fudge shop just before Christmas in 2022 and bought a box for £17.
He thought customers didn’t get much for their money and if he could create a fudge just as good but sell it for much less it would be a big success.
Robert, who has been baking cakes for 10 years, started making Huddersfudge last year, and said it had “taken off massively” leading to the idea of a dedicated fudge shop.
Earlier this year Robert’s vanilla Huddersfudge was rated three stars by the Guild of Fine Food in the Great Taste Awards.
Robert said: “Once I created the fudge I believed in it and thought this could go places.”
The specialist fudge costs £3.50 a bag or three for £10 and comes in a variety of flavours such as salted caramel, coffee, honeycomb and his own personal favourite vanilla.
The opening of the new shop was the culmination of weeks of hard work, often in the dark.
“It’s a relief to be finally open,” said Robert. “We were without electricity for nearly 10 weeks and had to kit the full shop out in the dark.”
It’s going to be a real family affair for dad-of-two Robert, who has two young children Molly and Bobby with partner Rebecca.
“My family have been my biggest supporters, especially my mum who will be running Huddersfudge for me,” he said. “We’re keeping the business in the family.”
Huddersfudge will be open Monday to Saturday but Robert doesn’t want to stop at Huddersfield and wants to grow his business beyond West Yorkshire.
