Malone’s Ice Cream Newry: 47 years in business, available to hire NOW
We all remember our childhood in Newry and hearing those iconic ice cream chimes, which signalled the arrival of the local ice cream man.
The nostalgia of buying a ’99’ ice cream with a flake, a screwball with a bubbly or a slush puppy is one of those enduring memories from many of our childhoods.
Or maybe you remember having a birthday party in Newry and an ice cream van arriving.
These were the times when a ‘poke’ was a mouth-watering ice cream and not some random function on Facebook.
In the 1970s, there were around 25,000 ice cream vans throughout the UK and Ireland, so getting your favourite whipped or hard ice cream was easy.
Today, though, with the rising costs of fuel, sweets, and ice cream, as well as insurance and council licenses, the once-thriving ice cream van industry is a shadow of its former self.
All is not lost, though, as one local ice cream business has remained a constant in the Newry & Mourne area over the past 47 years: Malone’s Ice Cream.
Gerald Malone of Malone’s Ice Cream has been there during the heyday of ice cream vending and insists he will continue regardless of the industry’s pressures.
Gerald needs no introduction; you will have seen him at Cranfield Beach, Slieve Gullion or in the streets around Newry.
More recently, Gerald’s ice cream vans have become even more popular around Newry for birthday parties, school football blitz, corporate events, First Holy Communions, Confirmations, Fun Days, BBQs and Community Events.
Speaking to Newry Times, Camlough-born Gerald, who now lives in Newry, stated, “There have been some huge changes in the ice cream van business over this past 47 years, most of which have made the job harder in some respects.
“We now have to factor in rising diesel costs, an explosion in the price of buying ice cream and flakes, an annual council license, tax, PSV, public liability insurance and van insurance.
“It’s fair to say that the job gets harder each year with these rises.”
Moving with the times, Gerald’s Facebook page keeps Newry’s army of ice cream lovers up to date with the latest special offers and events and lets the public know where his ice cream vans will be going next.
Gerald says his decision to have an online presence is two-fold: to ensure his business can keep its fans up to date on everything ice cream related and, secondly, to offer the ability for people to contact Malone’s Ice Cream at the click of a button.
As well as doing the traditional ice cream ‘run’ – visiting the streets and housing areas of the Newry and Mourne area, Malone’s Ice Cream now offers some fantastic packages for people who want an ice cream van on their special day.
Gerald explained, “We have covered many weddings, birthday parties, communions and confirmations in the past, and over the last number of years, these have grown massively in popularity.
“We’re also now catering to corporate events, sports events like GAA football blitzes, BBQs, school sports days, charity events, festivals and much more.
“Despite the weather, we try to work as much as possible, so if you have a birthday party and it’s raining, don’t worry—we will still be there!”
To find out more or to hire a Malone’s Ice Cream van for a Newry birthday party, school sports day or another event, visit the official Malone’s Ice Cream Facebook page.
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