Actor’s daughter Tara Cole is used to wheeling and dealing but in a whole different way to her dad’s dodgy on-screen persona. Jaine Blackman talks to the successful small businesswoman about life on the road with Daisy, her ice cream van

Tara Cole would be forgiven for thinking she might have bought her vintage ice cream van Daisy from a bit of an Arthur Daley.

Arthur as fans of the TV show Minder will recall was known for his deals in dodgy motors and Tara admits she made “a slightly mental eBay purchase”.

“Daisy arrived on a trailer from the South West, I bought her unseen and unchecked – that’s not really advisable,” says Tara, daughter of actor George Cole, who played Arthur onscreen.

“The whole of one side of the van was rotten, it had also dropped two inches and been bolted there, the floor was decidedly dodgy and the doors didn’t shut.”

But that was in October 2011. After extensive renovations Daisy is now a gleaming, fully-functioning ice cream van, based in Henley-on-Thames, much in demand at weddings and other events throughout Oxfordshire and beyond.

“The business took off immediately, 2014 will be the third year for Daisy and I’m already booking into 2015 and 2016, there are some very organised brides out there,” says Tara, whose background is in theatre costume. “I wanted to break away from working on tour and in London so I set up a chocolate business which won a lot of Guild of Fine Food Gold Taste Awards,” she explains.

“The idea was to do chocolate in the autumn and winter and ice cream with Daisy in spring and summer, but Daisy took off and I had so much work with her that I phased out the chocolate.”

Tara moved back to Henley 18 months ago after living in London for 20 years; dad George and mum Penny live in Stoke Row.

“I grew up around Henley, it’s good to be back and I’m enjoying taking Daisy to places I’ve known all my life,” she says.

Tara sources her ice cream from small producers; it’s handmade with no artificial additives or synthetic flavours, “the real deal”.

“As most of my private bookings are catered to a very high standard I like to fit to the same standards,” she says.

“I do more grown up parties than children’s parties so my ice cream needs to impress as much as Daisy herself does.

“Having said that children love the ice cream too and the retro ice lollies.”She also serves a selection of retro sweets, gourmet popcorn, soft drinks and hot chocolate at public and private events, like weddings, parties or corporate get-togethers.

For the private events the host usually prepays so she works out a costing based on the number of guests, the distance to the venue and what they would like her to serve.

With festivals and fetes the public pay for their ice creams etc.

“The best part is having a product that people get genuinely excited about, whether I’m at an event or driving Daisy, she does make people smile, unless they are stuck behind me on a very steep hill,” says Tara.

And the worst?

“I don’t think there is a worst part really,” she says. “I’m doing what I chose to do. Like any business I have a huge amount of admin to keep up with, and driving a vintage vehicle is always a little nerve-wracking.

“No matter how much restoration and work overall you do on an old vehicle it is still old and the harder she works the more aware you have to be of any odd sounds or reactions.

“I’m lucky I’ve found a brilliant company who look after Daisy and keep an eye on the mechanics and power systems.

“I’ve learnt alot more about diesel mechanics and refrigeration than I ever imagined I would.”