Sticky End

 When the UK joined the then European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973 ......

Fanfare For Europe Football Friendly

A series of 'cultural events', such as a football match between old members and new entrants, were organised by a committee set up by the then Pro-European UK Prime Minister, Edward Heath.

Prime Minister Heath Was Quick
 To Spot Holiday Home Opportunities.

This was as part of the (often derided, both at home and abroad), set fun and games called the "Fanfare For Europe" organised by the Fanfare For Europe committee ....  

Fanfare For Europe Activities 1973

And one of these activities, an exhibition entitled "Sweet Feast," came to something of a sticky end. It was simply made up of sweets and candies from around the EEC, which was put on display at the Whitechapel Gallery in January of that year. 

The treats were donated by manufacturers, and included Belgian chocolate coins, French lollipops shaped as the Eiffel Tower, gummy mice from Germany, coffee-flavoured Hopjes from Holland, Italian marzipan fruits, salty licorice from Denmark, Irish mints and toffee from Yorkshire, amongst many sticky items.

Sweet Feast 1973

The guests were 500 London school children, who were supposed to be offered a small selection of samples from the exhibit, but as it was later described, the exhibition was brought to an abrupt end on its final day, when the display of European confectionary was devoured by schoolchildren who had 'overwhelmed' a guard.

Ironically, to mark Brexit, the same exhibition was recreated in March 2019, at the same Whitechapel Gallery, along with a film commissioned by artist Ulla von Brandenburg, who was born the following year after the UK's EEC accession in 1974, in what was then still West Germany. Ostensibly this was a chance to reflect on both the political and culinary tastes of the two periods. As Ms Brandenburg said.

"What is funny is that a lot of sweets didn't change. The world has changed a lot since 1973, but not the sweets."

But equally obviously, the commissioned film was also meant as a statement, reiterating the neo-liberal position of the metropolitan, gallery-going, 'international'  London middle classes. In particular, their belief that the future hopes of their young children may be more limited, with Brexit in their opinions, reducing opportunities for future generations. Voiced by the child actors, it apparently included chants of “Let’s protect the planet” and “It’s your world too,” ....  the message being preached was reportedly meant to be that of universal inclusivity, but that also sounds like a rather moralizing dismissal of the 'Leave' voters .... so perhaps hardly universal inclusivity.

But that aside ...... this time there were no reports of the sweets being eaten too early by the visitors.