HI HAT ICE CREAM FACTORY IN LLANDUDNO

[juney]

Hi,
I am a new member.

 I am interested to find out anything about the Hi Hat icecream company in Llandudno . I believe my grandma was one of it original founders but would like a brief history if anyone knows anything about it please

Regards

June

[Cambrian]

There was an ice factory here for many years but later it became the Welsh Coast Ice Cream Co Ltd. who traded as "Welcoast".  In the early 1960s this changed to Hi Hat (whether that was just a trading name or the name of a company, I don't know). They were a major supplier of ice cream throughout North Wales.

They built a new office block on old railway land opposite the factory around 1969/70.  This may have led to financial problems and the firm folded around 1973-3. One of the directors was Charles Payne who was the head of J E Payne (Caterers) Ltd which ran a number of establishments in Llandudno.  That company followed Hi Hat into liquidation in 1974. The factory is now Bathers storage facility and the office block was acquired by the local authority.

[Micox]

My mother (Madge Cox) used to work for HI Hat and we used to get free ice cream. I worked briefly for the frozen food company attached to the building in 1972. Getting stock from the big Freezer room was 'interesting' especially as health and safety wasn't too keen then.

[a.s.barker@talk21.com]

Hi
Just joined today.
I worked for the Welsh Coast Ice Co from Feb1963 to October same year.
I was a rep selling frozen food and Ice cream to retail outlets, also bulk frozen food to hotels and restaurants.
Call me naive! I thought I had a permanent job but was told it was seasonal and was made redundant in the Sept. As it happens, it did me a favour and I got a job with a finance co which I worked for for 38 years until retirement.
I remember a Mr. Evans, the director I think ,and Frank Carnall who was General manager.
Also a very nice chap Don. Surname Williams I think.

They seemed to be doing OK at the time with agencies for Eskimo frozen foods, Hale Trent frozen confectionary and others.

Hope someone reads this and finds it useful.

AndrewJB

[born2run]

I believe my friend worked there - him and some of his friends got fired for fiddling the clocking in times!

[kenilworth]

My dad, Eddie (Dan) Cartwright, was the chief engineer at Welcoast. He joined them in 1947 and, in the early years, used to travel around N.Wales servicing the fridges at Welcoast outlets.  In the school holidays I sometimes used to accompany him and had my first taste of driving by sitting on his lap and steering the van. Fortunately Health & Safety hadn't been invented then!  Welcoast  then morphed into Hi Hat, a new office block was constructed and I think the firm just over-reached itself and went into administration.  My dad was kept on to keep the plant going and it was then taken over by Thayers, a S.Wales ice cream company I think.  That didn't last long and ice cream manufacture ceased in Llandudno in the late 80s, early 90s  I think.  Those who worked at Welcoast/Hi hat may remember my dad, his dog, Timmy, his good work mate, Eddie Owen. ?

[Micox]

Hi Kenilworth (Castle?).

Which Eddie Owen?

Mike.

[kenilworth]

Sorry, I didn't realise there was more than one Eddie Owen.  I think he was one of the drivers at Welcoast/Hi Hat