A local Welsh ice cream company is restoring a beautiful old park keeper's house in Penarth to bring a stunning new parlour to the seafront, serving ice cream as well as waffles and coffees.
Taking over the 140-year-old building, which is situated at the southern entrance to Windsor Gardens on the seafront, Lauren Evans, 26, who runs Fablas Ice Cream with her mum, Michelle, is hoping the parlour - which will embrace the 1881 building's historical features - will be ready by the summer holidays.
After acquiring the keys last year having first looked at the property which neighbours hotel Holm House in 2019, Lauren tells us it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing. She laughs. "If it was easy, everyone would do it, wouldn't they?"
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"We signed for it last year and we've had delay after delay, council planning, change of use and things like that. But we're finally getting somewhere now... And hopefully [we'll be ready] in time for the summer - summer holidays especially." She adds: "Hopefully we'll be a welcome addition to Penarth and get people up to that end of town."
Fablas began in 2017 with its first location in Cowbridge, before opening its second shop in Porthcawl in 2020. With its third store on the horizon, she tells us how she's "really looking forward" to making use of Windsor Gardens' stunning old park to their advantage. "It'd be such a shame if we didn't. It's such a fabulous location right on top of that seafront. - it's got an amazing view. So it'd be a shame if we didn't use it."
With "vast" takeaway options on offer for customers to take their ice creams and other goodies with them as they explore the gardens around the parlour, Lauren tells us of a fabulous picnic initiative that just makes sense.
"We've got branded blankets being made so that you pay us a £10 deposit, pick up a Fablas blanket and take it off to the park with your ice cream." Once you're finished with your ice cream picnic, you can return the blanket and get your deposit back. "You're never too old for a picnic, and you're never too young for a picnic," she laughs.
And once it's up and running, Lauren, who is based in Llancarfen, tells of her hopes to bring back Fablas' stunning afternoon teas (once they have an expansion in their manufacturing unit), which were available before the pandemic, and have yourself a "stress-free picnic".
With indoor and outdoor seating open to the public - and, as a dog-friendly spot, their pooches too - this parlour is going to be a stunning addition to the already quaint 'garden by the sea', and will not only offer handmade, award-winning artisan ice cream, but coffees (made with Clifton coffee), waffles and other sweet treats.
Of the old building they are taking over - which has incredible "character" and original period features that Lauren wants to honour and complement rather than take away - she explains: "It'll be lovely to inject some life back into it. Ice cream doesn't have a demographic, it doesn't have a set target audience, and I think that is absolutely fabulous for this building.
"Because we're going to inject it with so much life and so much love, I think our customers will as well. Imagine walking past that park, that building in that park that's been sat there empty for years and years and years. And then next summer or this summer, hopefully, you'll be able to see kids laughing and joking and enjoying ice cream with their families. I think it's going to be absolutely fab."
While the milk and cream used to produce our ice cream comes from a local dairy farm - Ty Tanglwyst in Porthcawl - they also offer vegan and gluten-free options for all to enjoy. With this in mind, they are sure to have a busy summer once their dreams of opening South Lodge as a picture-perfect parlour become a reality.
And Penarth isn't the only Fablas branch hoping to open in the near future. They have keys to open a fourth location in Caerphilly near the castle, which will open its doors around the same time as Penarth.
Keep an eye on their social media for more information or visit the website
