The Ice Cream Parlour

A Memory of Birchington.

My sisters and I are Birchington born and bred and as far as I'm concerned growing up in Birchinton in the late fifties and early sixties was the best place in the world. My mum would collect my sisters from Sunday school and we would catch a bus from the square, usually the number 70 (a single decker coach in maroon and cream) then down to Minnis Bay - to be taken to the ice cream parlour as a real treat! The original owner was a Mr Collins who was an Italian gentleman who made his own ice cream on the premises. He had to change his name because of the war, so that just shows how long he was there. I can still see him and his wife serving the customers, it was one of those timeless places that are very few and far between.