Hookah firm wins business award

Business has increased three-fold in five years, Mr Barnes said

A company using the Iron Age charcoal pits of East Sussex to make tablets for hookah pipes and incense burners has won an award.

The ancient rural craft, now a global export trade, has won a Queen's Award for enterprise for Swift-Lite Charcoal Company in Battle.

Pharmaceutical technology was used in the process of developing the tablets, managing director Steve Barnes said.

The tablets are exported to Europe, the US, Africa, and the Middle East.

'Tablet maker'

Mr Barnes said the award recognised that a traditional, rural craft had been turned into "a sophisticated and successful export business".

The charcoal tablets are used as a heat source in the pipes - made for smoking specially prepared tobacco as well as fruit.

Mr Barnes said: "Over the past five years our business has changed from one of a traditional charcoal maker and exporter into much more sophisticated tablet maker using pharmaceutical technology.

"In fact, in the Middle East, Arabs think more of Battle, not because of the Battle of Hastings, but because that is where they buy charcoal tablets from."

Mr Barnes said the business had increased three-fold in the past five years.