Beachfront procession pays tribute to well-known city ice-cream seller

Aberdeen ice-cream seller Vince Canale made one final journey past his once beloved cafe, in accordance with his final wishes.

The former owner, and face, of the Promenade and Washington cafes on the seafront, who was a fixture of Aberdeen’s Italian ice cream scene for more than 60 years, passed away last month aged 87.

A final wish was for his favourite big band music to be played outside the cafe, with friends and family gathered, as the hearse bearing his coffin drove by.

The life of the dad-offour was celebrated at St Peter’s Catholic Church before a procession along the Beach Esplanade.

Former customers and shop workers awaited the funeral party of the man once hailed the city’s king of knickerbocker glories.

Born Vincenzo Luca Canale-Parola on October 25 1936, his father worked for his in-laws who owned the Inversnecky before taking on the Washington and Promenade cafes.

When Vince left the RAF he joined the family firm, which he eventually took over himself. He would later enlist son Stephen and daughters Donna, Beverley and Rachael, alongside his late wife Maura.

The family, who lived on Holburn Street, gave up the Promenade in the early ’90s, but Vince ran the Washington until he retired at 80 in 2017.

Rarely seen without his apron on, the Dons fan enjoyed a coffee with his regulars each day.

Vince suffered a stroke early last month at Woodlands Care Home.

The devoted papa to seven grandchildren passed away a few weeks later, after which hundreds of online comments praised him as a great employer and welcoming face for visitors to the beachfront.

The saxophone player and lifelong music fan was trumpeted into his funeral to When the Saints Go Marching In.

As the cortege came by the Washington Cafe, renamed the Promenade by its current owners, his children walked behind

“This was dad’s final request. He wasn’t a man who shied away from attention,” said daughter Beverley.