Three generations serve up a century in Seaham
business, where he met wife Vena, Billy said: "My friend had come back from the war and said he had a job for me driving an ice cream van.
"That was back in 1948 and I was 18 years old."
In 1932, Valente’s had moved to North Terrace in the building which is today Dempsey’s.
At one time it had two sites: The North Terrace site run by Angie Dobson nee Valente and husband Peter, which closed 30 years ago, and the Church Street site.
Sue said: “Back then North Terrace was the place to be, then Church Street, but Church Street is a lot quieter now and people go to North Terrace, it’s all gone full circle.”
Sue started working in the family business when she was 13 years old and it’s been her job ever since.
"It’s all I’ve ever known and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” she explained.
“When we had the ice cream vans when I was younger I remember all the drivers would come back to the house with the takings and my mam would cook for them all, she was a great cook.”
Today, Valente’s is open from 8am to 2pm Monday to Saturday for breakfasts and sandwiches, with social distancing measures in place.
Sue said: “The regulars have been coming here for decades and for many it’s their social life.
“We used to be open from 7am and we were one of the places open the earliest, people would be here at quarter to seven ready for opening.
"When we closed for lockdown, people really missed it.”
The family business had planned a party at the cafe for the anniversary in June which couldn’t happen due to lockdown, but they were still able to have a small family celebration to raise a glass to 100 years of Valente’s.