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Edinburgh Live
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David McLean

Locals recall Edinburgh family who sold ice cream on the Mound for generations

They were the Edinburgh family who sold us all an ice cream down the years - even if the name might not be instantly familiar.

The McManus family were one of the capital's most prominent ice cream vendors, selling their delicious cones and wafers from their city centre kiosk for nigh on 70 years.

It all started shortly before the Second World War when the "industrious" Katie McManus along with her husband John McManus began selling real Italian ice cream from their barrow at the Mound opposite the galleries.

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After making enough money to secure a proper ice cream van, the popular family business would endure right into the early 2000s, with Katie's son Tom McManus taking on the mantle until his retirement.

And while Katie and Tom have sadly passed on, the memories of their Mound ice cream kiosk live on. Edinburgh Live spoke to Tom McManus' son John McManus.

John recalled the humble beginnings of the McManus business and coming up from England to spend his summers working at the kiosk in the 1970s.

He recalled: "It was my Grandmother Katie McManus who started the business. She was quite an industrious woman and the driving force of the family.

"She sold the ice cream from a barrow initially at the space we now call the piazza at the Mound. It was this classic Italian, brilliant white ice cream, from Larry Guerri at East Crosscauseway. That's the only ice cream we did - none of this Mr Whippy rubbish.

"The kiosk was part of all my holidays and all my youth and as I got older I started working there. I remember when I was 15 years old in 1973 I came up for the entire summer holiday to help grandma at the kiosk. The thing I particularly loved was when all the young tourist girls would come up to get their cones!"

While the much-loved kiosk would be heaving in the summer, with locals and tourists alike queuing up for their cones, oysters and wafers, there were some who objected to the presence of an ice cream van at such a prominent site in the city centre.

John McManus recalled an episode in the 1990s that threatened to end his family's business, when an objection was lodged against the renewal of his dad's license.

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He said: "It was a director of one of the two art galleries. They launched this objection on the grounds of aesthetics, saying that the ice cream kiosk lowered the tone of the whole area. It got quite a bit of publicity at the time.

"Eventually though my dad won the argument and the council agreed to the renewal because the family had been there for decades."

Tom McManus worked alongside a business partner, his brother-in-law, John Corrigan. Mr McManus continued working at the ice cream kiosk until his retirement at the age of 73 in the early 2000s. He died in 2018.

The McManus business was later sold on by the Corrigans to Mr Ross Ogilvie, who continues to sell ice cream at the Mound to this very day.

A few weeks ago, John McManus posted a photo of his late father working behind the counter of his van in the 1990s on the Lost Edinburgh Facebook group. The nostalgic picture attracted hundreds of likes and comments. There were plenty people who remembered John's dad and his delicious ice cream, in spite of the passing of so many years.

Rae Grant wrote: "Everyone stopped to buy something! Loved the ice cream!"

"Great photo of John McManus," said Derek Taylor, "he had a smile for everyone. Good memories."

Charlotte A Fletcher-Morton recalled: "I've always loved icecream and I could never pass by without buying a cone. Delicious Italian ice cream at its best! Your father's van, at that same stance for years, was such a feature of the Mound and East Princes Street Gardens.

"He had such a cheery, sunny disposition and ready to chat with customers young and old alike."

Carole Bathgate added: "Remember it well, if it was the van in front of the galleries - bought many 99 cones from him."

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