02/02/2026
St Patrick’s Day, 17th March, marks a significant milestone for every mobiler.
In 1956, the Conway brothers launched Mister Softee, introducing the very first ice cream vans fitted with soft-serve machines and musical chimes. While there had been vans before serving hard ice cream in the UK, there were no musical chimes and certainly no recognisable brand. This moment is where most of us trace the true beginnings of our industry.
In 1958, Dominic Fachinno travelled to the United States hoping to secure a UK franchise from the Conway brothers. When he was unable to persuade them, he returned home and created Mr Whippy, starting with a fleet of six Commer vans in Birmingham. These were equipped with soft-serve machines powered by TVO generators.
Meanwhile, in the early 1960s, Cummins introduced soft ice cream vans based on the Austin LD and more commonly on the smaller Bedford CA, powered by a separate generator. This evolution continued into the mid-1960s when Bryan Whitby and Sid Cummins transformed the trade with the introduction of direct drive system to power the soft machine.
This St Patrick’s Day should therefore be a celebration for us all — recognising the innovation, determination, and shared history that shaped the mobile ice cream industry as we know it today. ☘️🍦
