your comments
Marino Conti
Hi Jo. I hope you are well. Glad you spotted the deliberate mistake. Yvonne Randall - Leno's Great Grandfather Giacomo married twice. Leno's line is a product of Giacomos first marriage, and you are a product of his second marriage. Giacomos second wife is your Great Grandmother, Maria, Luigi's Mother. I hope this helps!
Sun Jul 5 20:17:41 2009
Gregg Baldwin , London
Just reminiscing a bit and found Lampeter and then of course dear contis, played football with Damian for the town inthe early 90s many a great time was had in the finest cafe I've ever been in !
Fri Apr 17 11:46:20 2009
S Holland, Florida
How nice to read about Conti's. I was born and brought up in Carmarthen and in the 1950s remember 2 Conti's, one in Lammas St and one in King St. I loved the ice cream and the smell of the coffee.
Sun Apr 5 13:03:28 2009
Jo Conti
Hi Catrin, That's such a lovely story!Hi Cecilia! Where in Co Durham are you? Tom's finishing at Durham Uni this year and going on to do Law in London along with his sister Alex who's there already. Oh and Marino I'm Jo without an "E" !!! xx
Thu Mar 26 09:55:48 2009
Catrin Griffiths
When I was a little girl my family often travelled from the Midlands to see various dour and ancient relatives in Fishguard. A long and deadly car journey with mum smoking,and me and my little sister bickering endlessly in the back. The ray of sunshine,if we were really lucky, was a Conti's Ice Cream in Lampeter. We were never allowed the decadent luxury of a '99'(ice cream embellished with a chocolate flake )as mum told us the ice cream was far too good for that. In a way she was right it was delicious, every lick.After ice creams for everybody, spirits raised, the journey was more of an adventure,soon we'd see the sea and the sun was bound to come out. When I taste that ice cream now it's filled with lovely flavours, one of them is my childhood.
Wed Mar 25 14:24:09 2009
John Harrison, Llanybydder
to visit leno's cafe when i come into town is one of the highlights of my day.The food and drink are great,not to mention the ice cream.Leno is always so friendly and interested in how you are and what you are doing and his girls are lovely and helpful.If only there were more places like conti's the world would be a much better place!
Fri Feb 20 14:04:08 2009
The Product Formally Known as Dodgy-Shoes. York.
Conti's should be protected by royal order. Its atmosphere, its ice creams and especially its owner - priceless.When will the government Knight someone who's really made a worthwhile contribution to his community? Seriously, this guy's added more to the town of Lampeter than a hundred 'big business people' could hope to add to the City of London. Just look at the comments.Lampeter is a special place. People like Conti make it that way.
Mon Jan 12 10:08:22 2009
Gail Bishop (née Moot) Bude
Conti's was where I had my first Knickerbocker Glory while I was a student at Lampeter (1971-1975)and I have never tasted a better one elsewhere - so good to see it is still there.
Thu Oct 23 10:05:12 2008
Chloe Leicester
Well, I remember a knickerbocker glory being sent to me to eat on the square, brought by Damien on my birthday, because my birthday is the same day as Leno's! My life was not so hot at the time and I was so overwhelmed that I ate it outside, instead of going in to the cafe, I did remember my manners and say thank you though. I can imagine the taste of that ice-cream to this day, even though I am not a dairy eater now.I thought I saw a glimpse of Leno on Gordon Ramsays show not so long ago, at a re-launch of a pub run by another italian family in Wales?? Also, on the throwing out side of things, I only knew of people being chucked out for smelling too strongly of patchouli... and imagine this, despite being known as a "hippy" myself, I absolutely detest that smell too, and always have all the best to you all, from Chloe -ex of Lampeter
Mon Jun 30 09:45:09 2008
Yvonne Randall nee Conti
Hi Leno, I was a Conti by birth and my father was Marino Conti, born in Bardi. His parents were Luigi and Clotilda Conti. They moved to Wales from Porelli near Bardi. I believe that my grandfather went to live in Aberwstyth before moving to Aberfan and then to Pontypridd. I would love to know if we are connected.
Thu Jun 19 09:10:29 2008
Tudor Thomas from Bramhall
Hello Leo, I know you will remember me for we met a few years ago when I visited your Cafe, and of course we went to school together in Builth Wells during the 1939-1945 war.I trust you are keeping well and like you I am still working at 79 yrs old. Hopefully I will be able to give you a call again in the near future
Regards
Tough Thomas !!
Tue Jun 10 12:13:59 2008
Marino Conti
Hi Joe, My name is Marino not Merino. The association with sheep lies with the Welsh not Italians.
Mon May 19 09:10:35 2008
Ieuan Evans and family, Builth Wells
Happy 80th birthday on the 13th.Enjoy the day and best wishes to all
Mon May 12 08:45:17 2008
Cecilia Conti
Hi JoI'm Cecilia, Angelo's Daughter sister to Christina, Marino and the late Aldo. I'm married with 2 boys and I live in County Durham. I see your son is at Durham uni which is close to where I live. Please tell Simon I was asking after him. Camilla is visiting in June for Ginas 50th but unfortunately I won't be able to see her. We had some great times in Sydney when I took a gap year, so it will be disappointing to miss her. Take care, cecilia
Mon May 12 08:44:43 2008
Hilary & Sophie Jones, Tasmania
We have many happy memories of Conti's,a warm and friendly haven on cold winter days and the BEST ice cream in town - thank you Leno and the girls.
Sun Mar 2 17:52:29 2008
Jo Conti
Hi Robbie,the family were from Bardi, not very far from Parma in the north. Two separate Conti families - My grandmothere and my grandfather married and so most of us in the UK are related, but not in a 'Dualing Banjos' way!Nick and Matt - hi, he's 80 this coming May (13th) I hope you said Hi to him when you were in the shop!S.Miller, sorry but I only know of Camilla in Australia so I can't really help you. And Anja, I did try to leave our phone number but it isn't acceptable practice, so just phone Conti's in Lampeter and they will give it to you.
Fri Feb 8 14:53:24 2008
Jo Conti
Hi Dalis, Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage!To Dafydd Evans, re:- Hugh Gillings. CAn you tell him I'm married to Ian (pronounced Yan)Lewis, they were mates. Simon's in London doing somethng in advertising. If he phones the cafe they'll give him Si and Ian's number, can't give details here apparently.And last but not least - Jane Deary we all know Gillian very well and remember some of your mates.My son Tom is up in Durham University now doing Economics!Dad and Mum say thanks for all the lovely comments - they're thrilled!
Fri Feb 8 14:02:23 2008
Jenny Deary, Durham
I have great memories of Conti's too. Every lunchtime out of school for a pie and a coffee, that is if we had enough money left over from buying ciggies!Coolest place in Lampeter. Gillian Elisa was one of us, Heather Hopkins, Glenys Gavin, Ann Mathias, Ann Davies to name but a few.
Fri Jan 4 17:41:25 2008
Keith Hodges - Oxford
Conti's...sundays... Builth Wells...probably the only place open... and a juke box... we used to travel 7 miles from LLandod just for something to do before we all died of boredom with 'sing something simple' to look forward to....my wife says "why can't we get that ice cream any more." I remember the meat pies.. ahh.. gastronomy.. heated up under the steam outlet from the expresso machine.
Sun Dec 16 11:54:08 2007
Ron Davies Carmarthen
As a pupil at Lampeter school many years ago I took part in a sketch which was performed in front of parents and town dignatries to celebrate the ties between the university and the town. I played the part of Leno who was in the audiance for the performance. He was so impressed with my take of him that on my next visit to contis he gave me a bar of chocolate (beats an oscar.) This was the start of a friendship which I value and lasts to the present day. I call in on every occassion I visit lampeter and Conti's has remained the same since my school days. Best ice cream in Wales, great welcome and coffee and Leno thanks for the friendship and the warm welcome I and my wife had on friday 16/11/07...
Mon Nov 19 08:38:49 2007
Shawn Brown, Llanybydder
Gotta love Conti's. It does a damn good hot chocolate, not to mention their chocolate fudge cake.
Thu Nov 15 09:10:37 2007
Sian from Aberystwyth
Ah Conti's! The best coke floats in Wales. At least back in the mid-seventies. I see that Conti's Cafe is celebrated in the current (November 2007) issue of hidden europe magazine in an article called The Road to Abergwesyn. Some lovely prose that captures the magic of a coke float at Conti's. Just one quote: "I dream of places where hart's tongue and spleenwort creep over long neglected pitheads. Of the chapels barred and shut. Of the curves of the Teifi. Of coke floats and Conti's...."
Fri Nov 2 09:20:33 2007
Dafydd Evans Llangadfan
My work friend Hugh Gillings has fond memories of the Cafe and was very fiendly with Simon. Hugh wonders where is he now? and what is he doing? Hugh moved away from lampeter in 1979. Now lives in Llandybie. Hugh is looking forward to hearing from you.By the way, I also think it is a great Cafe.
Wed Sep 26 09:28:52 2007
Niall Lambkin, Oswestry
Conti's Cafe cannot be overestimated in its importance to the life of Lampeter as a community and in the life of its significant student population. Leno Conti and his wife have played a very important part in the lives of many, and many have very good reason to be grateful.
Thu Jul 12 10:02:37 2007
Lin Young, Adealide, Australia.
Yeh, nothing like sitting at the back of the cafe on a cold wet day, in wet clothes, drinking the only decent coffee in town. Hi Dali...I never got kicked out...well done.
Sun Jun 3 20:38:49 2007
Gillian Elisa
I always call in Conti's when I visit my brother in Lampeter. And I take ice cream usually 4-6 cartons back to Cardiff with me. What's that saying "you can take the girl out of Lampeter but you can't take Lampeter out of the girl".. The same applies to this unique Ice Cream... "You can take the ice cream out of Conti's Cafe but you can't take Conti's Cafe out of the ice cream".. I think that makes sense!!!
Wed Mar 14 09:46:02 2007
Dafydd Aeron,Temple Bar, Lampeter
Such a lovely atmosphere when you walk into Conti's. Please don't change its appearance. Lovely coffee served by lovely people.
Thu Mar 8 09:46:16 2007
Margaret Morgan, Rhayader
Conti's at Builth Wells was always a meeting place & where most people went for tea /coffee etc I remember Conti's way back from the 40's as my family only lived 2miles away & when I left school I went to work in Builth Wells Post Office so still went there. When I married I only moved abt 15 miles from Builth so used to go back to one of the hairdressers in Builth always going to Conti's after. Miss Dominica Conti(Mrs Jones) taught me Domestic Science in Llandrindod Wells Grammar School (as it was called then) Such a shame that it's no longer there.
Mon Feb 12 10:01:31 2007
Dalis Cayo-Evans, Silian, Lampeter.
If you've never been kicked out of Conti's you haven't lived! I remember getting ejected after dancing on a table to the jukebox in the back. I was absolutely mortified (being very very fond of Leno & Daph & their kids Da, Si & Jo) and went home in tears. My father, (of terrible Welsh rebel fame), just said 'Duw, he used to kick me out regularly, don't be so soft!' Lovely frothy coffee & the best ice cream on the planet!
Sun Feb 11 11:40:07 2007
Melanie Thomas from Llanybydder
Conti's has the best ice-cream ever!!
Wed Jan 31 09:28:55 2007
Gerwyn Williams
The name Conti will always be around, I have lived in Ystradgynlais for most of my life and well i remember Jack Conti and his family with their ice cream shop come
tea room and indeed one could say Community hall, it was a great feeling sitting around the cast iron stove with a glass of Eunice Conti's hot Vimto. Jack Conti was a great help to the Ystradgynlais rugby team where he was president for some time,a lady of the Conti family still lives in Ystradgynlais. all the best Leno, we could do with another Conti's here.
Sat Jan 27 12:58:51 2007
Victoria Lee from Lampeter
Conti's is the best! It serves great creamy hot choc!
Thu Jan 25 09:42:29 2007
Nick Harling & Matt Waugh from manchester
Well, well...Conti's on the net! This used to be our main hang-out during uinversity days of the late 80s/early 90s...cup of weak tea and a one-and-a-half finger kit-kat...happy days! So many memories, but the best must surely be returning to Conti's in 2005 for my stag night (not literally at Conti's, we had the stag do at the King's Head, but that's another story...). Anyway, me and Matt went to pay our respects to the great man, only to find him conspicuous by his absence. That's it, we thought, old Conti's passed over to the great ice-cream parlour in the sky! . We were just getting maudlin when who should float down the stairs but Mr.C himself, not looking a day over 93. Happy in the thought that some things never change, we supped our dregs and left to live the rest of our lives....
Mon Dec 4 08:14:01 2006
S. Miller Tennessee
I'am looking for family members who moved to Australia that were related to Carmela Conti Vaticano, and Frank Conti, her brother. Carmela married Dominic Vaticano and moved to America in 1932. Frank Conti stayed in Italy. My family and I would love to find Carmela's nieces, nephews and other family members living in Australia.
Tue Aug 29 10:57:16 2006
Robbie Conti from Edinburgh
Hi there. Just a coincidence but my grandfather also had an ice cream shop in Elgin called Conti's Ices. Strange but I guess as we are all from Italy its normal. Where in Italy did your family come from?
Tue May 9 12:43:59 2006
Chris Kelsey from sheffield south yorks
We've read so many good things about Conti's Cafe, Lampeter, that we just had to visit, during a visit to the area recently. We enjoyed a really good breakfast there. Will definitely go there again when next in the area.
Tue Dec 27 22:50:26 2005
Blodwyn; Llandysul
The cafe has finally had a revamp... but it still serves the best coffee and warm scones!
Mon Dec 12 15:01:08 2005
william davies
Hi I moved from lampeter to live in Brisbane Australia, It was nice to see Leno Conti on the BBC news, miss the lovely ice cream too.
Fri Dec 9 01:49:23 2005
Camilla McCauley (Conti) - Brisbane, Australia
Hi
I am the late Aldo Conti's daughter, Camilla. I am sister to Gina Conti, aunty to Anja Conti, first cousin to Cecilia Conti. I emigrated to Australia in 1986 and am married to Terry who is Australian. I have identical twin girls, Beth and Grace who are 15 and identical twin boys Rhys and Luke who are 14. I would love to hear from any distant family or those who knew my father and family.
Wed Nov 16 08:53:34 2005
Anja Conti
Hi jo. Thank you so much for your reply. I am the grandaughter of Aldo Conti and Gina is my aunty. Camilla is the lady you speak of, who moved to Australia. She now has two sets of twins, two boys and two girls, the boys aged 13 and the girls 15. Cecilia is related, however I am unaware of how. Are you in some way related? I would love to hear from you again xx best wishes Anja xx
Tue Nov 8 18:20:41 2005
Stewart Ellinson
My father first introduced me to Contis, Builth in the early 1970s. Then, on my own, I discovered Contis in Carmarthen, Lampeter (where I was a student) and, I think, Haverfordwest. Contis Lampeter has always been one of my favourite places, and it still draws me back. It's good to see that it's still there, providing a focus for a community and a place to plot, plan and scheme. Without it, Lampeter would be missing many of it's best silly ideas, and the world - or at least Wales - would be a poorer place. I'll have a raspberry cup, please!
Sat Oct 22 23:05:57 2005
Jo Conti
To Anja Conti...
Hi Anja
I know Aldo, as I used to be in Art college in Carmarthen, and often went to the Grilla roma. I met Gina whilst I was there, in the Quinn's club actually ... also Cecelia, a beatiful girl, who I think emigrated to Australia. i also know Merino. I presume that they are all closely related to you.
Tue Oct 18 22:31:22 2005
Bria Bothomley now in Seattle, WA
This brings Back so many memories. Leno is one of the best people in Lampeter. As a boy growing up in the town, Conti's cafe was the main hangout. As the good Dr. below said, many ideas were thought up and deeds planned fron the back and out the front of Conti's. In the back, the front was for the older folks! and in front after the cafe closed. Looking back I am amazed that Leno tolerated us at all, I know I was kicked out more than once. I relly loved that place and miss those days. Thanks Leno and all the best.
Anyone who wants to remember the old days email me at bbothomley@msn.com
Fri Oct 7 17:56:14 2005
Anja Conti
I have not yet been to Conti's Cafe in Lampeter. My Grandfather (Aldo Conti) used to own the Grill Roma in Carmarthen, also makers of Conti's ice cream! It would be great to come up and see you soon, see what Conti's ice cream tastes like! Can't wait, see you soon x. Anja Conti
Thu Sep 29 21:20:06 2005
Brian Thomas from Leicestershire ex Carmarthenshir
We as a family still visit; my daughter Rhiannon insists it is the best ice-cream ever; and I agree.
I also have fond memories of the place and appreciate the fact that it is still unique and very much as it was in my days when at school in Lampeter in the 60's; great times.
Also pleased to see the business spreading and being picked up by the next generation, as witnessed at a recent visit to the Welsh-cob festival at Aberaeron.
Wed Jun 15 10:51:00 2005
Prof Kevin J. Brehony
What I learned in Conti's Cafe as a youth is inestimable. So many of my significant life course experiences occurred within, or equally as meaningful, just outside its doors. More...
Fri May 20 23:57:17 2005
Susanne Silver, Melbourne Australia
The best mushroom omelette (with bread and butter) followed by apple pie and cream; this was the unfailing choice for us students (John and me) in 1970. Thanks a million!
Fri May 6 10:58:40 2005
Melissa Clare (Tomalin) Sebastopol, CA
Many were the hours that I spent at Conti's indulging in the best ice cream in the UK and hoping that it would sufficiently stimulate the brain cells to continue with the studies at hand. We had a great time in Lampeter, and I expect to re-visit it a few more times...
Fri Apr 29 03:30:13 2005
Kevin Williams, Manchester
Just browsing and saw the picture of Conti`s Cafe, read a few nostalgic comments, and realised how much I miss the place.
Tue Mar 29 11:58:00 2005
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