Ice cream man makes his final round: Vans take funeral procession through town to remember 'iconic' dairy business boss

Ice cream vans lined the streets in Kent in tribute to an 'iconic' dairy business boss who had served the community for 70 years. 

Romeo 'Rio' Rossie died in July,aged 81 and in honour of the famous man behind Rio's Ice Creams,the vans drove in procession through Folkstone.

Born to Italian parents Assunta and Gustavo,he first began selling ice creams with his father aged 11 shortly after the family moved to Kent from Glasgow.

They bought a former cafe in Marshall Street and turned it into Rio's Ice Cream parlour with a factory out the back.

While the shop has now closed,the factory is still where the family make all their fresh ice creams today.

While Julia is proud to keep the business going,she says the changing face of Folkestone over the years has made the job more challenging. Pictured Romeo (front) playing with an ice lolly

'My dad even made his own sauce and we still carry on that tradition now.

'He passed the ingredients and recipes on to my son before he died so that tradition can keep going. Dad was the heart of the business. He was such a lovable character.

'He always said,the job is not about being a millionaire,it's about providing a community service,and that's the way that we see it.'

While Julia is proud to keep the business going,she says the changing face of Folkestone over the years has made the job more challenging.

'Times have changed with the ice cream now,the heyday's been and gone and now it's got to the stage where the council say you can't park here,and you can't go there.

'Folkestone's not Folkestone anymore,you haven't got the ferries or the Rotunda.

'There used to be coaches full of people but if you go up there now and there's nothing. You've got the harbour arm but that's not the same.'

The business celebrated its 100th birthday in 2023 and Julia hopes to carry on her father's legacy serving Rio's ice creams for generations to come.

AntonyGlasgow