Ice cream factory gets parlour greenlight from planners

A popular family-owned ice cream factory has been given the go ahead to build a sit-down parlour at its beauty spot site at Rodborough.

Winstones Ice Cream, which has been based on the common there for almost 90 years, wants to improve its current sales kiosk.

For decades the site has been popular with visitors to the hilltop spot, which enjoys sweeping views across the Stroud Valleys.

Unless lucky enough to grab a space on one of the two nearby benches, however, until now customers have had to enjoy their ice cream either sitting on the grass, or in their cars.

Winstones tweeted the 'glorious news' that, after trying for more than 20 years, planners have finally granted them permission to build an ice cream parlour on the site - meaning that, whatever the weather, customers will be able to enjoy the view, and their ice cream, without getting a wet bottom or a soggy cone.

It is anticipated that work on the ice cream parlour, which has yet to get underway, will be completed by the winter.