Archive on 4 - Scoop

From the disputed origins in the 1920s of the name 99, via the turf wars between ice cream van men in the 1980s, to the persistent myth that Margaret Thatcher helped to invent Mr Whippy soft-serve ice cream, Scoop offers a creamy, nutty, fruity knickerbocker glory of history, personal testimony and unexpected twists, With James Sinclair of Rossi in Southend, whose job is to "sell happiness" - he tours his ice cream factory and the Rossi seafront parlour; Leyla Dervish of Magic Foods, a third generation ice cream seller in south-east London, who shares the magical send-off her father received from his fellow ice cream van men; food historian Dr Annie Gray; the composer of the mobile sound creation Music for Seven Ice Cream Vans, Dan Jones, and ice cream vendor Akan driving the streets of south-east London. With archive from Radio 4's The Food Programme, featuring Dan Saladino and his ice cream van Dad, Bobo; coverage of the 'Glasgow ice cream wars' of the 1980s; Jim Carey's documentary, The Ice Cream Van Cometh, that includes Francis Rossi and Banksy (courtesy of Jim Carey and Loftus Media) and a special recording from an ice cream van man's funeral. Produced by Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 (Image of Leyla Dervish's Mum, Sheree, courtesy of the Dervish family.)