A new ice cream bar which opened in Wimbledon in the hottest summer for decades is preparing to cope when temperatures plunge in winter.
G Like Gelato opened on July 4, just in time to cater for a hot Wimbledon tennis crowd, as well as residents and visitors this summer.
The shop employs 10 people, working on shifts from as early as 9am until the store closes, which can be as late as 10.30pm.
Despite temperatures expected to reach the mid-30s this week, south west London resident and store manager Luca Galvani, 47, is already planning for the end of the hot summer season.
He said: “We are aware that gelato is a seasonal business, so we will sell cakes and pastries sourced from an Italian Wimbledon bakery, focus on coffee and hot chocolate and add tables so people can sit inside when it’s cold.”
Opening the store demanded a solid business plan to survive the not-so-profitable winter season, as well as significant investment in rent, decoration and expensive state-of-the-art machinery to ensure high-quality, smooth gelati.
“We are focusing on operations to make sure it becomes a profitable business, then I will be looking for another place to open a new gelato store in the next few months in the south west area,” Mr Galvani added.
