Dixons Milk Ices reveal plans to open new shop in Batley

Dixons Milk Ices, founded in Huddersfield in 1961, has been a favourite for generations of children growing up.

And now the family-run company has embarked on a franchised expansion and work has started on new premises in the Batley Shopping Centre, the former Alfreds’ Way.

The new Batley franchise is expected to open in late February or early March with the creation of 10-12 full and part-time jobs.

Dixons is based in Lockwood, Huddersfield, and has a shop in Leeds Road, Huddersfield.

In October 2019 its first franchised branch opened in Bradford and the same operators are behind the new Batley store.

One of the directors, Idris Khan, said the move to Batley was due to public demand.

“Though Dixons is based in Huddersfield they used to have ice cream vans coming to Batley and lots of people grew up loving Dixons milk ices,” he said.

“A lot of our customers in Bradford come from Batley – so now we want to come to them!”

Dixons dates back to August 1961 when Edward Dixon acquired the business from Ernest Rhodes. Edward retired in 2003 leaving his son Charles to run it along with another director Charles Cartwright.

The Dixons recipe is a closely-guarded secret but its ice cream is made fresh every day using milk from locally-sourced farms. There are no artificial additives or stabilisers.

Idris said: “Dixons ice cream is unique and everybody loves it. It’s like nothing else out there.”

Laura Bonnell, office manager at Dixons in Lockwood and daughter of Charles Cartwright, said 2020 was a tough year for the business.

Dixons was now on delivery apps and had put together delivery packages with ice cream, desserts and brownies.

“It was very trying for everybody last year and we had to diversify and move into deliveries,” said Laura. “Our hand was forced in a way but it meant we could give our staff more hours, which everybody was grateful for.

“Last summer was crazily busy as everyone enjoyed the weather and being able to get out. Our business is seasonal, and it’s winter, but people still want ice cream.”