The story of Carlo's Ices in West Wellow

But if locals want to cool down with an ice cream, there’s one family-run company they’ve been turning to more than 100 years – Carlo’s Ices in West Wellow.

People travel from all over the county to visit the parlour that’s become a local institution. Most people who grew up in South Hampshire will have memories of visiting there for a scoop or two as a child.

Carlo’s Ice Cream Parlour and Tearooms has been making traditional ice cream for more than a century.

The popular parlour has gone from strength to strength, even surviving a war.

The core values of good home produced food is what the business says has been at the centre of its success.

Carlo and Thora mix the ice cream. Picture: The Donnarumma Family.

The popular family-run establishment started in 1913 in Canal Walk, off East Street in Southampton.

Tony’s grandparents Achille and Trofimena Donnarumma opened a small greengrocers before Achille sailed to New York to seek his fortune by learning the art of ice cream making.

Trofimena stayed in Southampton, and when Achille returned, they bought the pub next door, and turned both into a coffee shop and ice cream parlour.

The golden era for ice cream parlours in the 1920s and 30s saw the expansion of the popular parlour, then called the D’Orsay Refreshment Rooms, to include live music and entertainment.

The Donnarumma family.

The establishment was taken on by Achilles’ daughter Amalia following his death in 1939, however the premises was bombed out the following year after the outbreak of the Second World War.

After the war Amalia’s brother Carlo decided he wanted to start the business again, and he began using authentic ingredients from his family’s traditional recipes.

Carlo, his wife Thora, and the children relocated the business to West Wellow and the ice cream parlour and tea rooms has continued to trade there ever since, as well as selling ice cream in Totton, Romsey and Calmore.

Tony Donnarumma outside the renowned Carlo's ice cream parlour in West Wellow.

Carlo’s son Anthony and his wife Barbara eventually took on the business following Carlo’s death in 1990.

Anthony now runs the tea rooms and ice cream parlour, which is open seven days a week.