Former banker Darren Whyman has no regrets about swapping his banking career for life as an ice cream man.

Father of two Darren, 51, spent his working life with Lloyds before restructuring led to his redundancy.

He ploughed part of his pay-off package into a converted red Mercedes Sprinter and now sells ice creams around the island in partnership with his wife Louise, 49, who is now fully on board having previously been general manager at the Strand Shopping Centre.

They are joint directors of Manx Whippy Limited and are loving it, even though Darren admits it seems ‘surreal’ at first.

Their logo is ‘creating sweet memories’ and the van’s chimes of the ‘Teddy Bear’s Picnic’ have become familiar on estates dotted around the island.

But the van, registration number MAN 994U, is now parked for the TT fortnight in the shadow of the grandstand, where they have been doing a roaring trade with an array of tempting ice creams including a special ‘Mad Sundae’ especially for the great occasion.

Taking a breather, Darren told Business News he had never looked back since he took the plunge to start a new career.

He told Business News he was delighted to be involved in bringing his van to the TT.

‘We have been meeting people from all over the world, from places such as New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, the UK obviously. It’s great to be here at the grandstand in this superb location.’

He revealed that the island’s lieutenant governor Sir Richard Gozney enjoyed an ice cream the other day.

Darren had been a senior manager at Lloyds for several years with Lloyds having worked for the bank for 33 years.

He said: ‘Following a restructure I was made redundant in December, 2016.

‘While I was going through the redundancy process I was brainstorming ideas.’

He decided it would be a ‘fantastic idea’ to probe the idea of getting an ice cream van.

‘I decided to take it forward and do something about it. Six months planning, research, doing my catering qualifications, I went across to an ice cream exhibition in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, met some fellow ice cream van owners, went on a round with one and learned a lot.

‘And ultimately I returned to the Isle of Man, not using my return air ticket but at the wheel of an ice cream van.’

He bought the van from an ice cream seller in Stockport, whom he had made contact with through his research into the world of ice cream selling.

‘You can never plan too much for starting your own business.

‘And actually a lot of the business skills and business acumen you learn in the corporate world were fully transferable and were a great asset in establishing my own business.’

Darren has two children, Sophie, 17, and Josh, 13.

He said he also applied for a micro-business grant run by the Department for Enterprise. That also enabled him to pick up some useful information on setting up his ownbusiness.

It also meant he could call on the key help of a mentor for 18 months ‘which has been superb.’

Sitting in the sun on the grass outside his van Darren, who offered Business News a tasty choc nut creation, revealed he has ‘always been a blue sky thinker.’

He added: ‘The acid test for me was that my wife Louise, has a very good business brain and when I ran the idea past her she was very passionate and motivated by it and agreed it was a goer.’

As we talk Darren often stops to say ‘‘hi ya’’to people he knows, either customers and sometimes people he has worked with in banking.

He has also enlisted help from a former Lloyds colleague who is now retired, called Dave Morris. Dave says he loves being able to help promote the Manx Whippy brand and bring miles of smiles to people’s faces.

Darren takes his customers seriously and asked if we could mention in this article that it will be business as usual for his regular, loyal army of customers after the TT.

He admits working for yourself does mean some sacrifices – such as last year, when his wife and kids went on holiday abroad and stayed at home serving ice cream, ‘because I didn’t want to let our customers down.’

But he stresses there are so many positives and after spending years of his life in an office wearing a suit and tie he could not imagine ever going back to that.

‘I love this way of life,’ said Darren.Despite his career in the world of banking Darren revealed he still prefers to use an independent accountant to deal with the book keeping.

Darren and his wife use social media to get their message across and have taken the van to weddings, corporate events and other special occasions.

And they have purchased a second van which has the registration MAN 994T.

Darren said he hoped his experience will be an example to other budding entrepreneurs looking to go it alone on ‘this beautiful island.’