Italian granny taught Jimmy the art of making ice cream

His Italian grandmother taught him the art of ice-cream making and now Jimmy Robinson is celebrating 35 years in the trade.
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The Robinson red and cream ice-cream vans and trailers are immediately recognisable in Portadown and Lurgan parks and in housing developments across the county.

Indeed Jimmy has contracts across the whole of Northern Ireland as, from very humble beginings, he is now one of the biggest mobile operators in the country.

Jimmy, who lives in Craigavon, started his business on June 9, 1985 from very little.

James and his father Jimmy Robinson in one of their ice-cream vans.James and his father Jimmy Robinson in one of their ice-cream vans.
James and his father Jimmy Robinson in one of their ice-cream vans.

He explained: “The ice cream came from my Italian granny. I am third generation making and selling ice-cream and now my son does it also .

“My Italian grandmother Coradena Gerardi came from Lucca,” he said.

Jim’s father and mother are Jimmy and Rita Robinson and his grandparents were Bertie and Coradena. When young Jimmy was a child the family moved from Belfast to Craigavon in the 1970s.

Coradena made ice cream in the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s from an ice cream bike.

Jimmy Robinson's Italian grandmother Coradena Gerardi serving a customer from her bicycle icecream cart.Jimmy Robinson's Italian grandmother Coradena Gerardi serving a customer from her bicycle icecream cart.
Jimmy Robinson's Italian grandmother Coradena Gerardi serving a customer from her bicycle icecream cart.

“Most of my dad’s side of the family all sold ice cream over the years. So I suppose it was inevitable that I would go into the business,” said Jimmy.

He revealed that his grandmother and his Aunt Nessie had a bike at various times selling ice-cream at the gates of Botanic Gardens. And his dad and grandfather also had a spot selling ice-cream at the gates of the Falls Park.

“That started on 9th June 1985 from very humble beginnings in a makeshift high top van, scooping hard ice cream which my Dad help me buy for £800.”

The family also have a fleet of ice cream vans, one believed to be the oldest ice cream van in Ireland.

Robinson's Ice-Cream is regularly served in parks across NI.Robinson's Ice-Cream is regularly served in parks across NI.
Robinson's Ice-Cream is regularly served in parks across NI.

“There have been lots of highs and lows over the years but I have alway loved my job and I have met many friends over the years though ice cream. Many times I have served second and third generation of customers from the same family over the years.

“We have now built our business up to one of the biggest mobile operations in Northern Ireland.”

It’s a real family affair, with Jimmy’s wife Carmel and son James all working full time. His daughter Trudie and other son Eoin also help out.

With seven weeks off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with some of the hottest weather in years, Jimmy and his son James who works with him now have been finding business tough.

Jimmy has one of the oldest Ice-Cream vans in Ireland.Jimmy has one of the oldest Ice-Cream vans in Ireland.
Jimmy has one of the oldest Ice-Cream vans in Ireland.

Worse luck happened when a fire in a unit they hired at Annesborough destroyed a lot of their stock as well as a jeep and a trailer. Jimmy said: “This year with the virus it’s been very hard for us but we are turning things around.”

However the award-winning ice-cream man and his family have high hopes for the future.

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Robinsons Ice Cream is regularly served at Stormont.Robinsons Ice Cream is regularly served at Stormont.
Robinsons Ice Cream is regularly served at Stormont.

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