BECKLEBERRYS - Key Persons
As the younger brother, David had been forced to endure many Sunday roasts and family get-togethers where his dad and big brother rambled on incessantly about the dearth of discerning ice cream in the North East. They painted a gloomy picture of a frozen pud backwater where low-grade synthetic ice cream made from sub-standard vegetable fat ruled the roost.
In 2010 David decided it was time to join the family adventure, where he now oversees engineering, the purchase of new equipment, the flagship coffee shop (Metro Centre), Nelly the vintage ice cream van and all eco-friendly site projects.
David keeps his deep-seated love of ice cream in check via his slightly obsessive love of healthy eating regimes and personal training.
Feeling at a loose end having been made redundant after 22 years as a Durham colliery engineer, Ian didn't know whether to fuel Peter's enthusiasm to set up his fledgling business or encourage him to reconsider college.
A shared love of ice cream and Peter's all-important promise to provide him with plenty of machinery to tinker with helped Ian come to the conclusion that Peter shouldn't be allowed to enjoy this entrepreneurial adventure on his own.
Having waded through his A-levels, Peter was unable to shake from his head a nagging notion that departing to uni would mean stepping onto a rigid and potentially unsatisfying ‘conveyor belt of life' that might ultimately suffocate his enthusiasm to set up his start-up business.
Like his father, Peter felt very proud about Britain's manufacturing heritage and was determined to make something ‘real' for a living.