“WE HAVE had more than 2000 candles in production in our kitchen at times - it’s quite a challenge to even find a place for a much-needed cup of tea.”

Alison Kumar and Andy Cotterall began making candles not long after they met over two years ago before going on to create Wharfedale Candle Company, our Telegraph & Argus Trader of the Week.

Since then the couple have created many products and ranges from their home in Burley-in-Wharfedale. “We have been able to experiment with hundreds of different fragrances since we began,” says Alison.

Retired English teacher and writer Andy first made candles as a hobby and for relaxation while he was off work diagnosed with anxiety.

“He found candle-making and being around a lighted candle very relaxing and therapeutic,” says Alison, a former administrator. “At first he collected the left-over wax from friends’ used candles and re-melted it for his own use.”

When the couple met, just before the first lockdown, they wanted to create something together. “With Andy’s interest in candle making and my experience in making chocolates a few years earlier, the ideas started to flow and soon we found ourselves making candles for friends and family. Their feedback helped to push us forward on our journey.”

Making candles may initially appear to be quite easy, “but we soon found out there is more to making a candle than pouring wax into a wicked container. After many hours of testing and experimenting - and trying and failing - we had a collection of lovely candles we were very proud of.”

They were spurred on to develop their own website.

“Lockdown played to our advantage in that we were able to provide and supply our candles far and wide across the UK, as well as locally, via our website,” says Alison.

Once lockdown had eased, they took their wares to local outdoor markets such as Skipton and Clitheroe where again, their candles were warmly received.

“We now trade at The Ilkley Real Food on the Grove (first Sunday each month) as well as the York Shambles Market on weekends, both of which have taken our business on to a whole new level to where we have extended our ranges and introduced, among other ranges, our very popular soy wax range called ‘The Ilkley Collection’.”

Sourced in the UK, the couple’s candles and containers are sustainable, vegan and cruelty free and of the highest quality.

“One of our special creations is the ‘Artisan Collection’,” says Andy. “We wanted to create something unique and visually impactful, so we experimented for quite some time in creating this rainbow/striped candle which has a 40 hour burn time. This remains one of our most popular sellers as well as drawing lots of attention to our stalls on the markets.”

They make most of their displays. “Andy gets out the hammer and nails, and I get out the sewing machine,” says Alison. “We try to do everything ourselves.”

Another range which has been with them since their inception is their ‘Fragrance Fiesta’ soy candle in a tin.

“As fragrances can be such a personal thing, invoking different emotions, thoughts, memories, and personal preferences, we tried to narrow our Fiesta range down to around 30 fragrances. We are always encouraged to hear feedback from our customers; this helps us to develop new ideas for future projects.”

The company has also been approached by businesses and private concerns to provide bulk orders for hampers as well as salon displays and weddings.

“From starting something that we imagined would be a hobby for retirement, it has become our main focus.” Alison says with a smile. “We spend most of our time either making candles or trading on the markets. Neither of us see this as simply a job, but more a vocation which we both thoroughly enjoy.”

*wharfedalecandleco.com