Mr. Whippy

It was a hotter than expected day and the little four mile stroll we had set out on somehow morphed into an eight mile trudge.  So it was with considerable delight that our little band came across, of all things, an Ice Cream truck in a little village we were passing through.  Welcome to the world of Mr. Whippy, a British institution.

Mr. Whippy is an international story.  Apparently a Brit of Italian ancestory discovered Mr. Softee ice cream trucks in the US.  Unsuccessful in getting franchise rights he just started his own brand in the UK in 1958.  Mr. Whippy later spread throughout the Anglosphere with Australia and New Zealand seeming to be especially successful ventures.  

The people I dig with in May are mostly British and mostly my vintage so for them the gentle song of the Mr. Whippy truck and the sticky sweet taste of the soft serve cones are fond childhood memories.  The darn stuff btw invariably sticks to your upper lip!

Alas, after a bit of a post Covid boom Mr. Whippy is in trouble.  The costs of both food and especially fuel are rising in the UK and ice cream trucks are a vanishing breed.  I'm glad I caught up with one while I could.

Sometimes I put up a post with the expectation that people will want to do more research.  In this instance I must in good conscience advise against googling "Mr. Whippy".  But there are so many questions.  For instance is the facebook page of an Ethiopian Mr. Whippy genuine or an elaborate joke?  And how do they get away with these strange Disney character images?  They have pupils in various states of dilation and constriction that make it look as if they are all on drugs.

Farewell Mr. Whippy.  There might be hope for diesel cost per liter coming down but those Disney lawyers will eventually hunt you down and destroy you.