Pokey hat

[whitewitch]

Usually the ice cream arrives in our area at dinner time which usually results in an upset child, last week it arrived mid afternoon. Treated the wee one to an ice cream and 50p mixture. Was disgusted to see the mixture filled with lidl sweets (about 7 sweets in total). Be the last time we visit the ice cream talk about a complete rip off!!

[Alice in Blunderland]

Sorry you feel that way however my kids love it when the van comes to our village. They are happy with her ice cream buy chocolate and sweets from her also she has a good supply of shrimps for me as they are my favourite.

[whitewitch]

Yeah the kids love it, but ripping them off is a joke! They also don't take into count when they arrive 5 pm while sitting having dinner or 8ish when kids are just heading to bed. I am one of many parents nearly heading out the door to ask to rethink her times. But after getting ripped off I won't be going back and would rather take my child to the local shop

[Bobinovich]

3 hours is a very short time to try and eke a living tho', especially with cost of goods and fuel taken into account...

[whitewitch]

With the supply of 7 lidl sweets at 50p I'm sure she will cover her costs no problem! That's until it looses customers of course.

[Alrock]

With the supply of 7 lidl sweets at 50p....

You're paying for the convenience of a mobile van parked outside... If you don't want to pay it, then you have the freedom of choice to go buy your sweets from lidl itself.

[rogermellie]

With the supply of 7 lidl sweets at 50p I'm sure she will cover her costs no problem! That's until it looses customers of course.

do you know anything about running a business or overheads ?

how much did the 7 lidl sweets cost her ?

are you familiar with the concept of 'mark up' ?

(by the way, are you trying to say 'loosens' or 'loses' ?)

[webmannie]

how did you know they were lidl sweets?

[Big Gaz]

3 hours is a very short time to try and eke a living tho', especially with cost of goods and fuel taken into account...

Don't think there is any reason not to operate outwith those times other than lack of custom but thats what establishing a round is all about. Way back in 1983, i and a mate drove a van each for a local cafe, started at 4:30pm and finished at 10pm which got us 4 times round the set run we had then when the council dropped the time on the noise (chimes) curfew from 10pm to 8pm we had to sit outside schools at playtime and lunchtime to make up some of the lost trade until some bright spark thought of using a whistle which sidestepped the councils barmy rules and put us back to operating until 10pm again. I did try sitting outside a pub at 11pm but that was short lived due to the drunken bums trying to reach in and grab whatever they could. A bottle of irn bru over the knuckles soon cured a few but the owner thought it was just too much trouble to continue. As for markup, everything was basically 2p to 10p dearer than in the cafe from what i can remember and i got 30% of the take for the week. A good week then was £50-£55 i think plus a few tips and odd change left by customers. What put an end to it was a dumbass who pulled a sawn-off shotgun (actually two copper pipes and a wooden stock painted black) on me one night. I thought my time was up and was getting robbed but it was all because i played colonel dixie on the chimes and the clown had a raging hatred of Americans! The chimes, Coupled with a bottle of gin sent him over the edge and he was commited in court but it finished driving an ice cream van for me.

[Pokey Hat]

Hi to all....yes i did buy lidls sweets on Sunday...have no money to buy stock....and was desperate...i bought ten bags...cost approx £10...divided them into bags to cover my cost....no profit made on the sweets...my suppliers of all my stock have put up prices...as yet I have not incresed my prices....but now with all that said and done I can no longer supply 50p cones...nor will I be giving away freebies....stand in my shoes for 5 seconds you would run a mile....I have no tv...no land line...no cooker....and no hot water...as I need oil which I cannot afford to buy...I am doing the best I can...but it seems my best is not good enough....you could have came back to the van and I would have given you your money back....in fact you are more than welcome to collect your cash...as it is not my wish to have unhappy customers....I may not be able to survive much longer in business as becoming to costly to run...as I still owe for repairs on the van....you may have given me a reason to pack it all in. Thank you..kind regards Pokey Hat

[kriklah]

dont be dishearted Pat, theres always someone out there that will find something to complain about. they should be thankful that you take the time to provide a mobile service in such remote areas as this, especially with our road and weather conditions. we'd be disapointed to lose you.

[Mr P Cannop]

Hi to all....yes i did buy lidls sweets on Sunday...have no money to buy stock....and was desperate...i bought ten bags...cost approx £10...divided them into bags to cover my cost....no profit made on the sweets...my suppliers of all my stock have put up prices...as yet I have not incresed my prices....but now with all that said and done I can no longer supply 50p cones...nor will I be giving away freebies....stand in my shoes for 5 seconds you would run a mile....I have no tv...no land line...no cooker....and no hot water...as I need oil which I cannot afford to buy...I am doing the best I can...but it seems my best is not good enough....you could have came back to the van and I would have given you your money back....in fact you are more than welcome to collect your cash...as it is not my wish to have unhappy customers....I may not be able to survive much longer in business as becoming to costly to run...as I still owe for repairs on the van....you may have given me a reason to pack it all in. Thank you..kind regards Pokey Hat

it would be sad to see you pack it all in

[Kevin Milkins]

Yeah the kids love it, but ripping them off is a joke! They also don't take into count when they arrive 5 pm while sitting having dinner or 8ish when kids are just heading to bed. I am one of many parents nearly heading out the door to ask to rethink her times. But after getting ripped off I won't be going back and would rather take my child to the local shop

Have you considered writing down your daily rota and budget and see if the nice ice cream lady can arrange herself to suit you.

It's extremely difficult for small independent traders to survive, let alone make a decent living. Do you think you'll get your ice-cream delivered to your door with a smile by a supermarket if the nice lady says " it"?

[mi16]

Well OP over to you, how do you respond to pokey hatSeems very reasonable to meBut perhaps you still consider her to be a con merchant.

[Pokey Hat]

Well Said Trish. i know what it is like to own your own business. i gave up after working 10to 12 hour shifts a day. People do not realize that our suppliers put up their prices. i was the same as you and did not put up prices. and look where that got me. My old customers are now wishing we were still there, but it is too late.Margaret

[Pokey Hat]

Just to let you all know...previos post was entered by my big sister Margaret in Canada....she and i are very intune with each other...she contacted me last night as she knew i was upset...gave her my details so she could see for herself....as couldny find the energy to explain.....thanks big sis....miss you ...wish you were here for a hug...thanks to all those who understand how hard it is ......kind regards Tricia xxx...my best wishes to you all x

[smith892316]

But ripping of kids come on I also bought 2 mixtures for £1 and yes 7 sweets very poor in each bag so basically for a penny sweet it cost me six pence or so

[donnick]

thank god I read threw it all e posts as the 1st comment got my back up .I have never met such a nice honest person who love to chat to the kids and I am very sure gives off the odd freebee .I can assure you Pokey hat that you are very much appreciated around Caithness ,whitewitch you should take your custom else where.
PLUS I don't think penny sweets actually exist anymore

[Dadie]

What were penny sweeties are now 3p-5p each and smaller than remembered....(what were)half penny sweeties are at least 2p..
Big ones are 10p -20p each.
I dont care the pokey hat comes round at dinner time as the icecream can always be kept in the fridge/freezer (depending how far into dinner the van arrives) until my wee horrors eat their dinners and if they dont eat their dinners....guess what? the icecream is left in the freezer until the dinner is eaten(surprising how fast dinner is eaten until clean plates on a fri though)or left in the freezer until Saturday night etc....treat is there, but, until earned it stays there!
The only problem I have if it comes while 1/2 way through dinner is the fact we dont hear the van when we are in the kitchen and sometimes miss it.
Would really miss the van if it stopped running and always order an icecream cake for the kids birthdays (and other important kid related events) that are delivered to the door even if it isnt "on route" that day.

[r.rackstraw]

I have heard nothing but good about the Pokey Hat Lady and her service - until the post that started this.
Please don't be discouraged, PHL

[fraz]

I have heard nothing but good about the Pokey Hat Lady and her service - until the post that started this.
Please don't be discouraged, PHL
Can only agree with the above and I know first hand Pokey Hat will give kids goodies even if they didna' have quite enough change. Keep up the good work Pokey Hat don't let the negative bandwagon get you down:)

[gerry4]

Can I just say that Pokey Hat Lady, the few times I have seen her, seems a lovely lady. It just be hard work trying to make a living from the van. I hope that all these great reports will give her the energy to keep going as you seem to be much loved.

As a ex shopkeeper I know that no matter how hard to try to please folk, some just want to complain. Ignore them if you can I keep the kids & adults of Caithness full of Ice creams & sweets :Razz

[little miss breezy breeks]

I have read through all the posts and would just like to say to the O P if you weren't happy then why didn't you go back to the van and complain instead of coming on here and bad mouthing Patricia, I don't know her personally but I do know my daughter and all her friends love going to see her when the van come's round and she is really good to the kid's.

I really don't get why when some folks aren't happy about the service they receive or any other problems they feel the need to go on the web and complain instead of doing the decent thing and going and complaining to the person face to face.:(

[unicorn]

Trisha you provide a fabulous service and always with a great big smile, you are patient with the wee ones and never hurry them along, for those moaners who would moan to thousands on an internet forum anonymously and possibly put the final nail in a struggling businesses coffin, I hope you are proud of yourself, this woman works damn hard for very little thanks.

[Daisy]

I have never read such rubbish than the original post.....did the gurning start after the sweets (that were bought, packed up, and driven to your house) eaten??
My children get the ice-cream van every week and I have not a bad word to say. In fact the lady is very friendly and patient. My five year old went out last week "coz he is a big boy now and can do it himself" as I watched on he ordered played for and came home with his sweets. I can't thank her enough for being so patient with him.

[orkneycadian]

What were penny sweeties are now 3p-5p each and smaller than remembered....(what were)half penny sweeties are at least 2p..
Big ones are 10p -20p each.

Eeee, and you could go to t'pictures, have a fish supper, and get t'bus home and still have change from thruppence ha'penny! ;)

Aye, this growing old is a right nuisance!

[angmacamy]

Well all I can say is my family would be gutted if we didn't get our ice cream from the van on a Saturday night! Even the dog gets his wee tub of Vanilla and goes nuts when he hears the chimes :-) Don't give it up Trish ........You do a fantastic job, and have the patience of a saint while the wee ones are choosing what to have! Good luck for the future !xxxx

[larel]

As far as support for the sweetie van goes, it's clear from this thread where the balance of opinion lies, and pokey hat has little to worry about if her buisness can be sustained by goodwill alone.

[poppett]

The kids in the Glebe are all delighted to hear you on a Sunday afternoon................and quite a number of the grown ups too. Keep up the good work.

[mi16]

The silence from the op is deafening, would think an apology should have been offered at the least