Concerns for Felixstowe Kingdom of American Sweets and Vapes

Kingdom of American Sweets and Vapes is set to open in the former premises of menswear clothing store Burtons in Hamilton Road in Felixstowe.

Concerns have been raised about the sale of sweets alongside vapes and the brightly coloured frontage of similar stores which it is feared may encourage children.

Now Felixstowe mayor David Rowe has spoken of his concerns, saying he feared the shop could be targeting children and said it should consider changing its name.

The company has a store in Ipswich's Carr Street (Image: Tom Cann)

He said: "My view is that there is a problem nationally - and I am sure in Felixstowe - with young people using vapes, which is not a healthy situation to be in and therefore my view is that there should be no indication that it is acceptable for children to smoke vapes.

"If any shop appears to be marketing towards children, then my personal view is that it would not be welcome here in Felixstowe.

"I don't know if it is marketing towards children, but the name certainly indicates that it could be."

There is no indication stores have sold vapes to minors or been involved in any wrong doing.

No one could be contacted from Kingdom of American Sweets and Vapes for comment.

David Rowe, mayor of Felixstowe (Image: Felixstowe Town Council)

Sasha Watson, community engagement officer with consumer watchdog Suffolk Trading Standards, said she was aware of Kingdom of American Sweets and Vapes, which has shops in other Suffolk towns, including Ipswich and Sudbury.

She encouraged people to report any concerns they had to 0808 223 1133, so Trading Standards can "build up intelligence" on the business.

She said the body looks into any complaints it receives and could carry out a "test purchase" if the shop was believed to be selling vapes to under-18s, which is a criminal offence, by sending in a child aged under 18 to try and buy the product.

If a business is found to be selling illegally, Trading Standards could take a range of actions, including providing written advice or a warning, up to a prosecution.

In November, this newspaper reported how the premises, which Burton shared with fellow retailer Dorothy Perkins, had been put on the market after being divided into three smaller shop units.

The unit had stood empty since the women's and men's clothes shops closed in November 2021.