Llanfaes Dairy Ice Cream Bar

Paul and Eirlys Cole’s general grocery shop in Llanfaes in the Brecon Beacons had been trading for 24 years. It had always had a small ice cream facility. But when the Coles realised its popularity was increasing year on year, they decided to experiment.

Their first parlour opened in 1995. To help launch it they ran a long campaign of free ice cream tastings. They gave away 1000 portions in their first weekend alone! The campaign was a huge success and put Llanfaes Dairy Ice Cream firmly on the tourist map in Wales.

By January 2003, the ice cream became so popular the Coles decided to devote the entire shop to it. They asked us to refit the shop again. This time we designed a bespoke shop in warm red cherrywood and ‘Llanfaes blue’ using stunning Bocchini furnishings. The last phase of the development was completed in Spring 2005.

The Coles are so sure of their market and their ice cream that they provide no other food and drink apart from coffee. They can depend on the parlour being full from the minute it opens at 9.00am until it closes in the early evening. They have 3 mobile units they take to farmers’ markets, fairs and other events. They also supply restaurants and hotels in the area.

Daily production can be up to staggering 1000 litres in the summer, with 42 flavours available at any one time. Local produce is used wherever possible, including fruit from nearby farms. Although Llanfaes Ice Cream Parlour only opened in the Summer months to start with, customer pressure encouraged them to reconsider. For the last two years, they have enjoyed a very lucrative winter season offering ice cream cakes.

The parlour is a major tourist attraction in Wales. Many walkers plan their routes to include a trip to Lllanfaes! Regular customers think nothing of an 80-mile round trip to restock their freezers with the ice cream. And The Observer proclaimed Llanfaes Dairy Ice Cream as ‘the best ice cream in Wales’.