Partner Article

Ice cream confectioner returns to its North East roots

A Yorkshire ice cream business has taken its first step outside the county by establishing itself in the North East’s largest shopping centre.

The World Famous Ripley Ice Cream kiosks, part of the Ripley Group, have been opened on the lower level of the Metrocentre near Exhibition Square in the build up to Christmas creating nine jobs, with more planned for the new year.

“Brian and Sylvia Elliot left the North East 24 years ago building the business into a successful destination ice cream retailer in Ripley [near Harrogate, Yorkshire] at which point four years ago I bought it from them,” explained David Thomson, Ripley Group owner and managing director.

David has invested heavily in the business - a second site was purchased in Harrogate in 2008 - and implementing a £180,000 refurbishment programme across the two sites.

In four years ice cream sales have quadrupled to £400,000 with total sales reaching £670,000 across the two destination venues.

David said: “Now I am providing people in the North East with the opportunity to enjoy our delicious ice cream right on their doorstep.

“Our customers in Harrogate and Ripley come to us from all over the world because they love the long established Ripley heritage.

“The response in the last four weeks from the Metrocentre customers has been tremendous and we are looking to build on that success and expand further, starting with more kiosks meaning more North East jobs in the new year.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .