For generations, the arrival of the ice cream van has announced the start of summer, filled neighbourhood streets with music and created lasting childhood memories. Yet behind the familiar chimes lies an extraordinary story of immigration, entrepreneurship, engineering and changing British society.
This entertaining and nostalgic talk traces the development of mobile ice cream selling from nineteenth-century street vendors to today's technologically sophisticated vans. Along the way we discover the remarkable contribution made by Italian immigrant families, the fierce competition between manufacturers, and the colourful characters who built one of Britain's most distinctive businesses.
Based upon Peter's current book research, this is one of the first talks to explore the complete history of Britain's ice cream vans.
Views: 18 | Enquiries: 0Peter is Head of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management at Leeds Beckett University. Peter’s expertise covers visitor attractions, transport operations, heritage, visitor experience, tourism landscapes, urban and rural regeneration and placemaking, business development and Cold War tourism. In 2021 Peter was Awarded the Victor Middleton Prize for Education and Scholarship by the Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE).
He is also an award-winning author and has published both academic books and peer-reviewed journals, as well as books covering a range of transport, tourism and landscape histories. He is also a features writer for a number of publications and has appeared on several television and radio programmes discussing the travel and tourism industry. Peter has been involved with policy work with DCMS, the Department for Education, the Department for Transport and VisitBritain. Peter owns a consultancy business that delivers work for organisations across multiple industry sectors worldwide. He has owned businesses in photography, travel, ICT, waste management, and publishing, and owns a toy and collectables retailer - Midland Models.
Peter is a Fellow of the Tourism Management Institute and the Yorkshire and Humber representative, a Fellow of the Tourism Society, a Fellow of the Institute of Travel and Tourism, and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is Co-Chair of The Association for Tourism in Higher Education (ATHE), a Director of The Institute of Travel and Tourism and he represents ATHE on the Tourism Society Board. He is Chair of the Tourism Consultants Network and is also part of the ABTA Working Group on skills and qualifications. Peter is regularly invited to speak at conferences about education policy, placemaking and heritage management. He is Chair and Founding Director of The Cold War network, Chair of The Elvaston Castle and Gardens Trust and a Trustee for the 131st Derby Scouts.
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