Shock, horror, anger, sadness – all these are emotions that may have crossed your mind upon seeing a queue-less, fairy-light-less Jannettas this past week. Yep, that’s right, the notorious ice cream haven of St Andrews without its usual long queue of peckish customers wriggling along South Street. Unimaginable, right? Concerning? Definitely.
Many of you will have asked the natural flurry of questions. What’s the cause? Is the closure permanent? Have we lost Fife raspberry sorbet forever? The more shrewd-eyed among you may even have taken to Instagram for a frantic look at Jannettas’ newest announcement: the 100-year-old gelateria has closed for refurbishment.
Credit: Louise Anderbjork.
Devoted ice cream fan that I am, I decided to take my research a step further and request an interview with Jannettas co-owner Owen Hazel. Armed with a long list of questions and a slightly iffy knowledge of meeting recordings, I then hopped online for a Zoom call with the local ice cream connoisseur.
My findings are as follows:
1. Jannettas’ St Andrews branch is currently undergoing a quick refresh.
Although, as Hazel remarked, there was ‘nothing fundamentally wrong with the shop in St Andrews’, the premises needed a bit of TLC. Minor damages to flooring, seating etc. made an update necessary and, with Jannettas’ most recent makeover taking place nearly a decade ago, it seemed logical to freshen everything up during the relatively quiet winter months.
2. Cupar-based interiors expert, Paula Murray, is the designer at the makeover’s helm.
Responsible for designing Jannettas’ Dundee-waterfront premises, Paula Murray has a long-standing history of working alongside the Hazels to produce great results. According to Owen Hazel, she’s not only ‘fun to work with’ but also really ‘understands [the Jannettas] brand’.
3. No major shift in the colour scheme should be expected, but there will be some lighting changes.
Under Murray’s design plan, Jannettas’ distinctive pastel décor won’t be undergoing an overhaul. Instead, the parlour’s bright, sometimes glary lights (responsible for causing gelateria to practically glow from the end of South Street) will be swapped for slightly softer lighting, creating the perfect ambience for night-time ice cream trips.
4. Murray’s new design will allow customers to peep into the world of ice cream making.
Perhaps the most exciting element of the refurbishment is the creation of a look-point into Jannettas’ ice-cream-making laboratory. All of Jannettas’ artisan ices are made in-store by 3-4 staff members, including Hazel himself. Murray’s new design will provide insight into this manufacturing process by opening the kitchen for customer view.
5. Jannettas’ much-loved outside seating is there to stay.
Blanketed in fairy lights and painted the gelateria’s signature turquoise, Jannettas’ outdoor booths are a customer favourite. According to Hazel, they were created in response to the pandemic. With customers wanting to sit outside and the Scottish climate being chilly as ever, heated, street-view shelters were an ideal solution to the demands of post-Covid living. Luckily, nearly two years after the first UK lockdown, the booths are still enormously popular and, under Murray’s new design, set to become a long-term fixture.
6. The redecoration should, fingers crossed, span from January 10th to February 14th.
As the renovation-savvy of you will know, even the most minor of updates require months of planning and consultations with various works people. However, the bulk of the practical decorating work will take place from mid-January to mid-February, with Jannettas being set to reopen its turquoise doors at the end of next month.
7. Exciting changes can be expected from the café’s post-redecoration savoury menu.
Jannettas’ ice cream menu is mammoth, spanning almost every taste bud and changing with each new season. Whilst this won’t change following the refurbishment, Hazel did hint that the Jannettas café menu will feature new savouries. Follow the Jannettas Instagram (@jannettas_gelateria) for more details on just what these items will be.
Credit: Louise Anderbjork.
Comments