Ice Cream Truck Demise In Britain

The ice cream truck is synonomous with fun and features in most people's happy childhood memories. Eddie Murphy created an incredibly funny and now famous comedy sketch based on his ice cream memories as a kid. Even today when our local ice cream man comes around, the queue is comprised of people of all ages, young and old. However, that could soon be a thing of the past ... in Britain.

According to news reports, 3 January 2012 will be a key date for ice cream truck owners and operators. This is the date by which they will have to ensure that their vehicle(s) comply with strict quality air standards as set by a 1996 EU directive. The law is already in existence applying to trucks, buses and coaches and is in force in boroughs of London in England. However, this legislation may soon be in force not only in other cities throughout Britain but also be extended to cover smaller commercial vehicles such as minibuses and ice cream trucks.

Many ice cream truck owners/operators simply don't have the financial resources to comply with this proposed legislation as they would need to either replace their vehicle(s) entirely or at the very least fit expensive specialised filters. And if they don't they face a heavy fine - again something they cannot really afford.

It would be a sad day indeed if the ice cream truck disappeared from the streets of Britain. After all, we're not talking about just a business here .... it's a community service!

More in this ice cream van news article

Knickerbocker Glory, Gordon Brown & National Ice Cream Week

As I reported in my last Blog Of Ice Cream post, 1 June 2009 sees the start of Britain's first National Ice Cream Week. Today could go down in history you never know .... if the British enter the spirit of celebrating ice cream this week, we could see all sorts of things never seen before!

Imagine it .... Members of Parliament taking a welcome fresh-air break from the House of Commons and rushing to queue up at the nearest ice cream van for a vanilla ice cream cone - paid for of course out of their own pocket! That's provided of course that their local ice cream van has not been banned by the local council. Banning ice cream vans sounds a crazy idea but it has been happening in Britain recently!

Continuing on with the idea of what we might see this week in Britain's National Ice Cream Week, I would like to think that everyone will join in, even the British Royal family. HM The Queen is known to sometimes offer delicious ice cream on the menu at formal dinners in Buckingham Palace and many of her grandchildren have been photographed enjoying ice cream cones at outdoor events.

What about the British Prime Minister? Will he allow himself to be seen eating ice cream this week? C'mon Mr. Brown, have an afternoon out with your family and visit an ice cream parlor - after all President Obama (clearly an ice cream cone fan) didn't mind being photographed doing just that with his family last year on the Presidential Campaign.

Tell you what Prime Minister Brown, if you go out this week and visit a British ice cream parlor, I will personally pay for your Knickerbocker Glory! Just email me the receipt. I sincerely mean that - it's time you had something to smile about and what better than a great British ice cream tradition.

Long live the Knickerbocker Glory!

Ice Cream Vans Threatened With Ban - What Do You Think?

On Monday I wrote a blog post called "The Prospect: No More Ice Cream Trucks On Our Streets" and yesterday I was asked by the BBC to join in a radio debate about the threat that currently exists in some parts of the UK to ban ice cream vendors from having licences to park in residential streets to sell their ice cream.

The reaction from not only myself but others taking part including the radio presenter himself was that it is an absurd idea. People also called in afterwards and sent text messages to the same effect. No-one said anything to the contrary! Such is the strong feeling that people have when it comes to ice cream, especially the ice cream van (in the US of course it's the ice cream truck).

As my friend Mary said to me this morning:

"Not only do they supply ice-cream, but they form a social function. They provide a touch of humanity amongst the welter of anonymous traffic."

However, there is always the risk that politicians and policy makers don't listen to 'the common man'. Therefore I'm going to open up this post to comments and invite you to cast your vote:

IS IT IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE ICE CREAM VANS ON OUR STREETS?
YES OR NO

Please no junk - only serious comments from people interested in ice cream. Thank you.

Ice Cream At The Seaside

During the summer vacation I took a couple of 'day trips' to the seaside with my family. It had been a while since we last did this and I wondered how much had remained the same, including the popularity of ice cream and how it always seems to have been enjoyed in such places. Well, I was more than pleasantly surprised!

One one trip, not only did I see lots of people walking around eating ice cream cones, children and adults alike, but there was a long, long queue at a local ice cream parlor. I couldn't resist, I had to go in and while I was there I started talking to the owner who proudly told me they had made ice cream on their premises since the 1920's and he was the third generation in the family to run the business. Here's a photo of one of their ice cream tubs.

On the second day trip, again I saw lots and lots of people walking happily on the sea front eating ice cream - in cones or on waffles. Later in the day (whilst wandering in search of some public toilets!) I chanced upon the most wonderful old fashioned ice cream van - parked up after a busy day's sales complete with plastic ice cream cone at the side! It made my heart feel good to see such tangible evidence of how truly 'evergreen' ice cream is.