Parisella’s ice cream kiosk and parlour, Conwy

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Many Italians moved to Britain in the first half of the last century in search of work. Some brought with them the Italian art of making fine ice cream. In Wales several Italian families, including Parisella’s, established strong reputations for delicious ice cream. Other ice cream makers included Frank’s in Ammanford, Sidoli in Ebbw Vale, Minoli near Caerphilly, and Sidoli in Rhyl.

Portrait of Domenico ParisellaDomenico Parisella was just 16 years old when he arrived in Britain in 1912. He got a job with the Di Murro family in Greenock, near Glasgow, whose catering firm made ice cream and other foods. In 1914 he joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers. He was only 1.52m (5ft) tall, and often had the task of climbing trees to act as a lookout. After the war he started training as a jockey and worked on a farm owned by a Captain in his regiment.

Despite his service in the First World War, he was interned – as were thousands of other Italians in Britain – as an “enemy alien” after Italy decided in June 1940 to join the war, supporting the Nazis. He had three children by then. It took his wife Carolina eight months to organise his release from an internment camp on the Isle of Man.

He eventually found his way to Llandudno, where he made ice cream in the Forte family’s shop. In 1949 he set up his own ice cream business in Conwy which included the Continental Ice Cream Parlour in Lancaster Square.

The photo shows him soon after he began the business, which went from strength to strength. At its peak in the 1970s, it was able to produce 130 gallons of ice cream per hour. Some of the ice cream was sold in shops as far away as Birmingham. Domenico died in 1976 but the family business adjusted to overcome the onslaught of globalisation and supermarket competition and continues to thrive.

Now managed by Domenico’s grandchildren, Parisella’s still makes ice cream at the original premises just off Lancaster Square, concentrating on small batches of artisan ice cream in a wide variety of flavours. The ice cream is sold in Conwy at a modern kiosk at Lower Gate Street and at the company’s ice cream parlour in High Street.

Postcode : LL32 8BE     View Location Map

Website of Parisella's of Conwy 

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