VAN WARS: The real story of the Glasgow Ice Cream Wars

by Teddy Rennoc

The real story of the Glasgow Ice Cream Van Wars. In Glasgow, in the 1980s neither the Police nor the Public could understand why grown men were fighting over the rights to sell ice cream, the violence was extreme, and the streets of the housing estates were turned into war zones. Crowds of youths gathered on the street corners, while adults hung from their flat windows watching real-life scenes far more exciting than anything they could see on TV the smashing of Ice cream vans and cars, slashings and stabbings of rival Ice cream men were a nightly occurrence. And the reason behind the violence was that you could earn more money selling Ice cream than you could from selling drugs. The lack of shops in the vast run-down housing estates with thousands of families who had money to spend was a captured market providing an excellent living for the Italian families who controlled the Ice cream trade in Glasgow. Tam McGraw was building a reputation as an up and coming gangster who led a team that specialised in post office, factory, and cash and carry raids throughout Scotland. Tam McGraw realised that he could earn a lot more money a much easier way than robbing post offices, he could sell Ice cream. But first Tam had to test the strength of the Italians and the reaction of the police. McGraw went for the jugular right from the start. He knew Marchetti would not give in easily, and they would try to defend their territory. So he started with Carntyne one of Marchetti's most lucrative routes. Marchetti Brothers were about to suffer brutality and destruction of a kind they could never have imagined in their wildest nightmares. McGraw planned to be the Ice Cream King of Scotland, and Carntyne is where he would lay the foundations of his throne. Nothing or no one would stand in his way. This is the real story of the Glasgow Ice Cream Van Wars. The shocking violence mixed with a decent portion of Glaswegian humour will keep you turning the pages until the end.Written in a broad Glaswegian dialect with a lot of swearing, the author writes as he speaks. This book might not be suitable for those who prefer perfect grammar and proper English. But if you can see past that then I am sure you will find it an enjoyable read. Teddy Rennoc.

Genres: Book Club

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 4, 2019

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Age Of The Ice Cream Man

Canny old story that like. How a young lad got taken in by the opportunity of better life by a devious band of criminals becoming an Ice Cream Man and following a dream of driving into a world of danger and peril. I was a kid of the 80's and even I have some vague recollection of storys told from the time, mostly folklore but never the less it travelled far and wide. It was really interesting to get a first hand account of the events that took place around the time and what it was all about, who was behind it, what was they're motivations and also just the general camaraderie and carry on that surrounded the lifestyle, dispelling and illuminating one or two myths along the way! Theres some great storys in here to enjoy. Its a fun and easy book to read...As a side note I found it funny how this is clearly the inspiration for an episode of That Peter Kay Thing called The Ice Cream Man Cometh which is very funny especially on reflection to this entertaining book and a sign of how far the reach of this story in time travelled, cheers!

[M.H. Thaung]

This is a fictionalised account set in the East End of Glasgow around the early 1980s. That was a time when there were turf wars going on about ice cream vans and their routes, but of course the situation wasn't as banal as it might appear on first glance.

The book blurb has a caution to potential readers about the author's broad Glaswegian dialect with a lot of swearing. There was certainly swearing although I didn't actually notice any dialect (but then, I'm from Glasgow myself). Allowing for the narrator's voice, it wasn't a difficult read at all. I did notice some odd punctuation issues and line breaks, particularly in the latter part of the book, but they weren't very obtrusive.

I liked seeing what Teddy and his allies got up to in their struggle to keep control of their route. What I really enjoyed was the snippets of background information: for example, side comments about the regulations for when ice cream chimes were allowed to sound really brought the book to life for me.

This didn't feel so much like a "story" as a "witness account" (even if fictionalised) of life at the time. As such, it worked pretty well. Glasgow's Ice Cream Wars might only have local notoriety, but this book is worth a look from a wider readership.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I enjoyed most about this book was the authenticity. This isn’t a work of fiction – Teddy Rennoc writes about times and events that really happened in Glasgow during the 1980’s This was a time before there was was a Tesco’s on every street corner, when working class communities relied on mobile vans to purchase shopping essentials outside of normal working hours. Competition for lucrative trade routes led to gangland violence and this book takes you to the heart of it.

There’s the occasional lack of grammar but this isn’t pretending to be an essay – it’s a working man’s true account that reads to me like a great thriller novel with black humour incidents that made me laugh out loud. As the stakes are raised, so too is the tension. It is palpable. 5 Stars from me. Highly recommended.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a bit of an adjustment period in reading this book. The author admits that he couldn't afford to hire an editor, and there are numerous run-on sentences and misspellings, though I think the overall effect captures his Glaswegian voice in a way that heavy editing would not have.

In any event, this a truly fascinating bit of history. I'm not sure if this sort of thing was peculiar to Glasgow at the time. I'm guessing that a lot of poorer communities elsewhere relied on such vans for essentials that went beyond just ice cream. It's an interesting glimpse into one particular neighborhood. The mob-like culture surrounding these vans is also intriguing and quite terrifying.

[Margaret Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent look at the 'Infamous Ice Cream Wars', that took place in Glasgow in the 1970's era. Disturbing that kids are so violent minded at such a young age. I suppose it is a learned skill in a community that has nothing. This is one man's version of his escapades in the housing estates in Glasgow. It was a very interesting read.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Van wars by one of the boys!

Excellent Teddy well done mate. You’ve given it your best and made for a good read indeed! I throughly enjoyed the book and read it in a day. Stories like this need to be told by the people that were really there so we can all have an understanding of it and not be palmed off by MSM scaremongering people to believe the worst.

[Kevin McMahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember these incidents and then the subsequent release of Campbell and Steele for the murder of the Doyle family so from that point of view it was quite an interesting read. Written in quite simple language and it would have been better if the author had used a proofreader but as explained at the end this could not be afforded.

[Chloes Unicors · Rating 5 out of 5]

a book that grabbed my attention

I came across this book by chance and I'm glad I did, I finished it within 2 days it was a excellent read and had me hooked from the first few pages, hats off to the author and I hope everyone else finds this wee treasure of a book

[Phil Altimas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had heard of the ice cream vans wars mainly due to them being mentioned in other books
but i didn't know they were so violent
this book really takes you into the world of the van and the van wars
its well written and a great read

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read!

Not from Glasgow and live in this area now. I was only a youngster when all this happened years ago but heard the stories and I found it to be a very interesting read, funny, witty . Lots of great characters, my favourite has to be Soapy!!

[ann seawright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Read!

Somethings are before your time, and even beyond your normal interest then something sparks your interest so you want to know more. This is what happened with the book loved it especially the way it was written.

[WILLIAM MCAULAY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into your Ice'ise

Who would have thought that buying a double nougat came at such a cost in Glasgow.
Great insight into Glasgow life and banter.

[Anne Laing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner

Well described in the dangerous world of ice cream wars, loved going to the vans fir ice cream and chocolate not know what goes on behind closed doors

[Patrick Breen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. I had a friend that worked on the Ice Cream vans and it and the stories sounds very familiar

[mr john hair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping stuff

Read in 4 days . Hard to put down . Great insight into what people do to earn a living .

[Colino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read try next THE INCREDIBLE RISE OF A GORBALS GANGSTER BRILLIANT AMAZON BOOKS COLIN MACFARLANE

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this after being recommended it by Amazon, i knew nothing about the 'Ice Cream Wars' but i really enjoyed this, full of drama, heartwarming, and funny