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Ice cream parlour is chip off old Rossi block

7:30am Friday 8th June 2012 in South Essex news

Joe and Lucy Donnelly outside their new ice cream parlour, Hokey Pokey Gelato, in Leigh Joe and Lucy Donnelly outside their new ice cream parlour, Hokey Pokey Gelato, in Leigh

A NEW ice cream parlour has been opened in Leigh by the great grandchildren of Massimiliano Rossi, who helped set up the famous brand.

Hokey Pokey Gelato, in Elm Road, offers a selection of classic flavours as well as others with a unique twist, such as chocolate and chilli, green tea and white chocolate and cardamom.

Joe Donnelly, who set up the shop with sister Lucy, said: “We used to spend a lot of time with my grandad with the Rossi ice cream vans when we were growing up.

“We always talked about setting up our own ice cream gelato and decided to go ahead and do it. We have 24 flavours at a time and we make all our ice cream on site.

“It has been absolutely brilliant and everyone seems to love the flavours.”

Rossi, which was set up in Southend in 1932 by Pietro and Luisa Rossi and their family, was sold off and taken over by Colin Gray and his family in 2006.

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