Ice Cream Van Hire in Merseyside

Showtime Ice Cream Ltd have been providing ice cream van hire throughout the UK for over 30 years. A third-generation family business, they have a strong focus on customer service and maintain a modern fleet of ice cream vans which are available to hire for events of all themes and types, from weddings to birthday parties to public events.

What do you need to know from an organiser in order to provide a comprehensive quote?

In order to provide a comprehensive quote, we need to know the type of event, date of event, time[s] required and an estimated number of guests. From that we can check our availability and whether or not the event is viable.

What advice would you give to a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Depending on what the customer is looking for, the ice cream catering industry can provide various options from caterer to caterer. I would first advise any potential consumer to look at what ice cream unit[s] a company has to offer. For example, at a wedding you may want a restored vintage ice cream unit or a more modern unit. The most respected manufacturer and restoration company in the UK, for example, is Whitby Morrison; so if the ice cream provider has used them you know they take pride in their units as well as being a more professional caterer. Most importantly, and something quite often overlooked, is what produce the ice cream van provides. Most customers ask what flavours we can provide or if we can go cheaper on the price, however, most customers never ask what type of product we sell.

Please tell us a little bit about how and why you started the business.

Showtime Ice Cream Ltd is part of a family run enterprise that has been in operation since 1961. The business started with my grandfather purchasing his first ice cream van which then developed into my father and uncle owning what was the largest independent mobile fleet of ice cream units in the UK. With over 50 units at that time, which has now downsized considerably. From that we have gained a wealth of experience and we are very passionate about providing a professional, fast and hospitable experience.

Please tell us about a booking you've had through Add to Event, how did it go? Would you recommend us to others?

The most enjoyable bookings we have had from Add to Event, have to be the Football Tournament in Northop and providing ice cream at the Childline 3000 Festival in Prestatyn! The clients from both events were extremely happy with the service we provided and the ease of booking it through your platform. As a company, we have to focus on our static sites and much larger events but this platform offers us the ability to branch out and experience some brilliant and worthwhile events. When our vintage units are restored this will be the perfect platform to find bookings for weddings and small fetes. The requests have been growing throughout the year and I promote the platform to many customers wanting to find caterers when we are not available and to other businesses as well.