“It’s nice, to be nice” that’s the moto of Gus Bodur AKA Gussy The Ice Cream Man. These words ring true in every interaction with the man behind the counter of Gussy’s Ice Cream Parlour, the new kiosk in Claremont Park.

It’s only been open a few weeks, but Gus is already a much-loved face in the new park along with his wife, Inez, daughter Chloe, and son Oliver. Together, they provide the beating heart of the new park, and also live locally. They were chosen to run the kiosk after a competition was run by Brent Cross Town to find a local business to operate from the park when it opened in June.

“My daughter saw the opportunity and managed the pitch to open a kiosk in the park, I didn’t think we would get it, but I am delighted we did!” Gus told us.

On what visitors think of the new park, he said: “Feedback has been amazing.  Many people can’t afford to go away, but now they have this incredible facility on their doorstep, they can sit and let their children play for a few hours, they go home tired and happy. The play area is one of a kind, everyone comments on it!”

He added: “I see all kinds of people, from all walks of life, children playing together, it really is a garden of Eden”.

Gussy’s Ice Cream Parlour is currently serving a delicious range of ice cream, hot and cold drinks as well as slushies, which are proving popular with the kids, there are also kosher ice lollies and snacks on sale.

Sustainability is also at the heart of the operation of the new business.

“My daughter, Chloe, is really driving the business to be as sustainable as possible.” He told us. “So, in the future we will be serving vegetarian sandwiches and snacks only. People keep asking me when we are going to sell hot dogs, which we use to sell from the van. Perhaps in future we’ll have plant-based hot dogs here – in keeping with our promise to be as environmentally friendly as possible.” He suggested.

A pledge which also sits with Brent Cross Town’s vision to be a net-zero carbon town by 2030.

Many visitors to the park will recognise Gus and his family, who are well known for their ice-cream in the Northwest London community. They have a wonderful legacy as a family owned business, which was started by Gus’s late father, “Mr H” in 1959. Mr. H Bodur began selling Ice Cream from a stall in Piccadilly Circus where he worked for over 30 years. When his father passed away, Gus took over the family business and started selling ice cream from his own ice cream van and has been working as a traditional Ice Cream Man in London for more than 35 years.

Entrepreneurial spirt truly runs through the veins of this business, with daughter Chloe, not only securing the family’s place in the new park, but also authoring her first book aged 10, which join a collection of fun children’s books on sale at Gussy’s Ice Cream Parlour. Gus started working on his father’s stall when he was a teenager, and now his son Oliver, who has recently finished school, is also a regular behind the counter at the kiosk in Claremont Park on weekends.

Gussy’s Ice Cream Parlour is the latest local business to join Brent Cross Town. With retailers Happy Face Pizza and Karma Bread Bakery on Claremont Way, and Spruce and Larch café all having a local connection to the borough, as well as Cricklewood Coffee Rosters which is due to open in the coming weeks This is part of a commitment by Brent Cross Town, which is a being delivered by Barnet Council and Related Argent, to ensure the local community genuinely benefit from the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration project. The partnership has also pledged to ensure at least 20% of people working in Brent Cross Town are from Barnet or the local boroughs Camden and Brent.

You’ll find Gussy’s Ice Cream Parlour at the heart of Claremont Park. One of seven new and improved parks planned for Brent Cross Town, Claremont Park has been designed to be a neighbourhood park that will provide a space for families and local people to relax and socialise, to play and enjoy nature. If you haven’t already, come and explore the impressive new features, including a new pond, a nature-inspired play park, a sports zone and 300 new trees which have been planted alongside wildflower meadows. Before you visit click here to find out more about getting to the area, we ask visitors not to park in the local area and walk, cycle, skate or use public transport instead, where possible.

And of course, don’t forget to visit Gus, and when you do, ask him about the time he appeared in Hollywood movie, Last Christmas – his stories are captivating, and his warmth and generosity unparalleled.

Find out more about the history of Gussy’s Ice Cream Parlour at gussysicecream.co.uk

For more information about opportunities on the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration area click here