Let’s Celebrate Local!

By Hadi Brooks, owner of Rays Ice Cream which makes and supplies delicious, high quality ice cream to the wholesale trade, at events, for home delivery and through our shop in Old Town, Swindon.

How are you feeling about your business?  

Well, that wasn’t the summer we expected or  forecast. We had to change plans quickly – our shops shut and both wholesale and events business disappeared overnight. We came up with a brand new home delivery model and we got through it. Now things are calming down into the new ‘normal’ we’re hoping for a nice long Indian summer and look forward to welcoming back more of our wholesale customers.

How are you feeling about business in general? 

Things are really uncertain out there understandably. Plenty of consumers are still very scared and reluctant to go out. Many businesses are having to operate at reduced capacity, inevitably less profitably. The thing nobody knows is how long for. There are tough times ahead I think.

Tell us three ways in which you now apply this phrase to your business and/or life ‘buy local supply local’. 

1. We buy all of our milk and cream and as much produce as we can locally, although this isn’t new, we’ve always done this.

2. We supply wholesale customers within about an hour’s radius of Swindon with our locally made ice cream. 

3. Our home delivery service is available in and around Swindon and Royal Wootton Bassett, we have been so grateful for everyone’s support ordering from us during and lockdown and we will keep this service going for as long as people keep using it!

We’ve really noticed a move towards people supporting local businesses in the last few months, I think people have realised more than ever the ‘use it or lose it’ message holds true. We are so grateful for everyone’s support in keeping us going.

What has changed for you positively as a result of lockdown?

I have got to spend more time with my husband and daughter. Usually I would have been out serving ice cream from my trailer most weekends in late spring and summer. Not doing that certainly has its downsides, but a lovely upside has been spending more time at home with my family. 

And at a slower pace, I’m enjoying rushing around less, usually there’s an endless list of places to be – school runs, karate classes, guitar lessons, it’s been nice not to have to rush so much. 

Tell us what, for you, makes a ‘good’ local business.  

Well run, providing an excellent product or service with a smile. Employing local people and playing an active part in their community. Something which adds to the local landscape and doesn’t detract from it. 

Can you name a local business which you support around food & drink? 

Wood Street Food Hall, The Hop and The Tuppenny, sorry couldn’t limit it to just one - all have done a great job at adapting during lockdown.

http://www.woodstreetfoodhall.co.uk

https://www.hopinnswindon.co.uk

https://thetuppenny.com

Can you name a local business which you support around health & wellbeing? 

Les Slinn Personal Training. I’ve been going to Les’ gym for a year or and he’s been helping with my recovery from a back injury. When he had to close his gym Les adapted quickly, first offering PT sessions via Zoom and more recently in his back garden.

Also Matt Ward Karate, again they adapted to offer karate sessions on Zoom, they’ve been really flexible with lessons available 5 days a week on a pay as you go basis. It’s been perfect for getting my daughter moving during lockdown.

http://www.lspersonaltraining.com

https://www.mattwardkarate.co.uk

Can you shout out to three local customers you wish to celebrate? 

The Royal Oak, Bishopstone - https://helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk/our-rooms/

The Crown, Broad Hinton - https://www.thecrownatbroadhinton.co.uk

The Red Lion in Cricklade - https://www.theredlioncricklade.co.uk

All of whom adapted their pub businesses to keep trading, and selling our ice cream, over the last few months. 

Can you shout out to some local suppliers you wish to celebrate? 

Heritage Fine Foods in Devizes - https://heritagefinefoods.co.uk

Berkeley Farm Dairy - https://www.berkeleyfarmdairy.co.uk

Can you name anyone in business who has really had your back over the months? 

Jessie at Glamorose Cakes on the High Street in Old Town, Being a fellow small food business owner she’s been through many similar ups and downs to us. It’s been lovely to have someone on the end of the phone, or to walk in the park with, who understands a little of what we’ve gone through. She’s adapted her business really well too, it’s been great to see.

Can you name on person in your life who has really helped you during this time? 

No! But I can certainly name three! Heather and Daisy, my management team in Rays Ice Cream, I couldn’t have got through the last few months without them, they have been absolute rocks.

Julia, from Little Bird Design was an absolute  godsend. She managed to adapt our website, which hadn't been built for ecommerce, to accept orders for home delivery almost overnight. What she did was amazing, the end result had a few glitches but enabled us to continue trading in this strange time and bought us time to build a bespoke ecommerce site. We couldn't have done it without her.

What are your business plans for Q4? 

Continuing trying to adapt and survive with the added complication of heading towards winter – never the best time in the ice cream business anyway! 

We’ll be launching a new website to help drive more home delivery and online sales. We’ll continue to trade the shop as best we can adapting to government guidelines as they evolve. It’s a balancing act of trying to remain agile to drive sales where possible while minimising costs where it’s sensible. Our aim will be to get through the winter and hopefully look forward to a more ‘normal’ 2021. 

Any special offers you would like to mention? 

Our home delivery service continues while there is still demand for it, order online at www.raysicecream.co.uk

Your parting thought? 

Our Old Town shop is currently open 7 days a week, 12-6. Unfortunately we have taken the sad and difficult decision to close our Royal Wootton Bassett shop permanently (although we still deliver to homes in RWB).

For more information visit https://www.raysicecream.co.uk