AFTER more than a century serving the city of Worcester an iconic family business is set to change hands.

Lannies, a name synonymous with ice-cream in the Worcester area, and later well-known as a catering business, will leave the hands of the city family after 112 years.

The changes comes as Lorraine Burrows, known as Lainie, will retire after 33 years.

Mrs Burrows, 65, said: "I would do it all over again."

"All 30 years of it. It is very sad but I think it is time to give it up.

"I want to retire and look after my grandchildren."

She added: "I am really proud that Lannies has been in the city for more than a century. It has been great to serve the people of Worcester - it is going to be a sad time."

The business was set up by her husband Lindsay's great grandfather Italian, Francesco Lanni (the "e" was added later) in 1906.

He left Cassino, near Naples, in the 1880s or 1890s to seek a new life in England.

He toured the streets of the Black Country with a barrel organ and it was while making his living in this way that he met and married Sarah Jane Morgan.

They decided to make their home in Worcester, living first in Pheasant Street, but later moving to what was to become the base of Lannie's ice-cream empire for many years - No.1 Severn Terrace, the corner building alongside the Pitchcroft car park entrance, now Ostlers Restaurant.

He was known to serve ice-cream in Worcester and its nearby towns on his pony and trap with a colourful red and white striped canopy.

Mr and Mrs Burrows, who have two daughters Vikki, aged 34 and Shelly, aged 43, as well as grandchildren, Charlie, aged 13, Amelia, aged seven and Lola aged three, took over the business in the mid 80s.

It was very successful selling ice-cream from vans around Worcester and Malvern for many years. They had contracts with Worcestershire County Cricket Club, Malvern Hills conservation sites as well as three pitches in the city.

The couple decided to stop making ice-cream in the early 2000s and concentrated on a hot food business - which has been thriving in the city centre until the present day.

Speaking on the change, Mrs Burrows said: "I think it was coming to the end. We needed all new machinery so we gave it up."

Lannies was situated in High Street, Worcester, for two decades before moving to Bank Street.

Later, Mr Burrows bowed out of enterprise leaving it in Mrs Burrows's hands.

Daughter Vikki said: "My mum has made the big and very sad decision that she will be retiring.

"This has bought great sadness to our family as it will be the end of a fantastic family business.

"However, at 65, I think my mum has served for long enough and we’re all happy that she has finally made the decision to retire.

"I know that she will be greatly missed by all her customers."

On July 7, after 112 years, the Lannies business will be taken over by Colin Luke.