IN 1890, A SMALL SHOP opened in the centre of Rawtenstall with a simple mission - to wean the town's drunkards away from the perils of drink by providing non-alcoholic alternatives

Fitzpatrick's was part of the temperance movement which swept through Victorian Britain as a counter to the drink-fuelled lawlessness of the times.

Today, Fitzpatrick's is the country's last remaining temperance bar and the dandelion and burdock, sarsaparilla and black beer and raisin are still on sale.

The interior of the tiny shop has hardly changed in over 100 years. Wooden shelves are stocked full of exotic herbs and spices such as scullcap, wormwood and marshmallow root and a range of drinks are readily available on tap. There is just one table and seven rickety wooden chairs to greet the 'regulars' and the constant stream of visitors attracted by the novelty.

The current custodians of Fitzpatrick's are Christopher Law and his partner Julie Roberts, who took over the business around 18 months ago from John and Suzanne Spencer.

A major part of the deal was the secret recipes, passed down through the generations to create the unique flavours that have made Fitzpatrick's more of an institution than a shop.

"We still do everything the same way it has always been done," said Julie. "We are using the same recipes that the Fitzpatrick family brought over from Ireland 200 years ago. We use only natural ingredients which are very healthy."

So secret are the recipes that the ingredients for sarsaparilla are bought from five different suppliers. Julie knows that at least one large company has had their products analysed in a failed attempt to replicate the Fitzpatrick flavour.

Julie used to work as a medical administrator within the National Health Service and has been interested in alternative medicine for 20 years.

"When the children were small, I did not want to fill them with pills and potions and started looking at natural alternatives," she said. "I am a great believer in the theory that there is a natural cure somewhere out there for any illness.

When she was last pregnant, Julie drank gallons of Fitzpatrick's' lemon and ginger cordial to beat the miseries of morning sickness. "It worked a treat," she recalled. "And one of their twins even has red hair!"

Julie remembers visiting Fitzpatrick's as a child when a glass of cream soda was a treat for behaving herself while shopping. Generations of Rawtenstall people have used the temperance bar as a meeting place and the tradition has continued. While Fitzpatrick's reminds you of a bygone age, Julie and Christopher are planning a quiet revolution. The business has gone on the internet and a graphic designer has been brought in to look at the packaging, which has remained unchanged for decades.

A new range of natural skincare and grooming products will be going on sale later this year and the couple are thinking about selling their products through other outlets.

But they are wary of being too successful. "Everything is hand-made by us in the shop," said Julie. "It would be marvellous if everything really took off, but there is a limit to how much we can produce on the premises.

"We have thought about taking over a small unit somewhere and employing staff, but that would change the whole essence of the business.

"This has always been a family-run business. Our customers are our friends and we provide a very personal service. We didn't come here to make loads of money."

With national TV and magazines starting to take an interest, it's clear that Julie and Christopher are on the verge of a big breakthrough - whether they like it or not