Icart residents are welcoming the potential return of a local snack stop, as plans for an ice-cream van in the area are underway.
The privately-owned kiosk at Icart has been closed since 2017, leaving islanders with a walk to Saints Bay for the nearest refreshment spot. However, the Silvester Group has applied for planning permission to install a moveable catering van on the east boundary of the car park.
Residents are pleased about the prospect. “It’s an enhancement to the area, so it is a good thing,” said John Hart. “If we are out gardening, we get the occasional angry tourist saying over the wall how they are disappointed that there is still a sign pointing to the kiosk and they walk up and there is nothing there, so it will be great to have.”
Michelle Ball, who also lives on Icart Road, echoed the sentiment. “I wish the kiosk would come back,” she said. “Something needs to happen; people miss that there is not a cafe.”
Silvester Group managing director Natalia Silvester sees the site as a promising opportunity for a tourist venture. “I’m a caterer and project person, and it came up in a discussion that it is a shame there is nothing there and how it is a shame the cafe never re-opened, so I thought I would do something,” she said.
Mrs. Silvester plans to take time to determine what food and drink offerings would work best. “Like with the rest of our establishments, we will do classics with a twist,” she noted.
The current planning application proposes that the catering van will be temporarily in place for the 2025 summer season. Mrs. Silvester intends to operate the van from 10 am to 6 pm, seven days a week.
The return of a refreshment stop at Icart is eagerly anticipated by both locals and visitors alike, promising to revive a beloved community amenity.
