Now Eddie really lives up to his name
Ice-cream seller gets a surname that matches job
Paisley favourite street seller of ices has changed his surname from Nardini to Gelato, which is Italian for ice cream.
But it’s okay, the sun hasn’t gone to his head. The change is only for trading purposes as he attracts more and more Paisley people keen to cool down in the heat.
And Eddie Gelato, 53, was certainly giving it big licks yesterday as he took to the streets of Paisley town centre in bright sunshine with his colourful vintage cart.
He told the Paisley Daily Express: “This is the first good time we’ve had – well, it’s nine months of winter we’ve had and that’s just typical of the way the weather is just now – nine months of winter since October last year.
“Last year it was good the last week in May, and the first week in June.
“What we’ve had now is a bonus.”
Eddie Gelato has been able to get out with his cart and famous monkey mascot over the past few weeks, except for a few poor days.
The last couple of days of heat and sunshine have been really good for business as families opt for a delicious cooling cone.
For Eddie, it’s a matter of getting out when he can.
“This weather is going to change again right back to the way it’s supposed to be,” he explained .
“The weather’s always the same, it doesn’t really change much. Weather’s weather.
“Two or three years ago was really nice, though.”
And business was booming yesterday for Mr Ice Cream, and not just because of the weather.
The recent closure of McDonalds and Thorntons, which both used to sell ice cream at their Paisley High Street premises, has brought him more custom.
“That’s increased business,” he said. “You’d sell 100 anyway. “With the other outlets being closed it’s increased a wee bit.” And his best-selling flavour? He said: “Once everybody sees it, they go for it – bubblegum.”
Sales might not be so brisk today for Eddie, however.
Not only is it going to rain but the Met Office had actually issued a weather “yellow” warning, meaning it could be heavy.