Taste of Sidmouth welcomed married influencers Nick and Ant for a sweet little gelato date, but their Facebook post attracted some seriously sour reactions. The family behind the shop isn’t having any of it.
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Imagine being so bothered by two men enjoying ice cream together that you decide to make it everyone else’s problem. Apparently, a perfectly innocent gelato outing was enough to send some people into a meltdown.
That’s what happened at Taste of Sidmouth, a family-run ice cream shop in Devon, England, after married LGBTQ+ influencers Nick and Ant stopped by for a visit. The London-based couple sampled the shop’s homemade gelato, posing for photographs with Ferrero Rocher and strawberry flavors.
It should have been a lovely bit of publicity for a small business and a sweet memory for two happy customers. Instead, after the shop shared the photos on Facebook, its comment section attracted homophobic remarks targeting the couple and their relationship.
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Thankfully, the people behind the counter weren’t interested in letting that negativity melt their enthusiasm.
A Little Gelato, A Lot of Unnecessary Hate
Owner Cathy Inglis wasn’t impressed by the reaction. She called out the comments and questioned why anyone still thought attacking two people simply for being together was acceptable.
“Apparently, in 2026, we still have people who think it’s acceptable to make nasty, homophobic remarks simply because two men are in a relationship.
“Are we really still doing this? Seriously?
“These two genuinely lovely men came into our shop today, supported a small family business, were incredibly kind and gave us a moment we were genuinely excited to share.
“And somehow, THAT has attracted negativity?”
The business also made clear that it had removed the worst comments from its page. As Cathy pointed out, nobody has to follow Nick and Ant, know their story or even care about the post. Basic decency, however, shouldn’t require a special invitation.
“You don’t have to know who somebody is. You don’t have to follow them. You don’t even have to be interested in the post.
“But being a decent human being? That really shouldn’t be too much to ask.”
Fair enough. Nobody is asking anyone to write a love poem about two husbands sharing dessert. Just perhaps refrain from treating their existence like a personal emergency.
Taste of Sidmouth has also shown its support for LGBTQ+ inclusion beyond this incident. The shop decorates its premises with rainbow flags every June for Pride Month. Its mango yoghurt flavor has also previously won the Best Ice Cream in the South West award.
Speaking Up Shouldn’t Be Extraordinary
The backlash also prompted an emotional response from Sophie, Cathy’s daughter and the shop’s manager. While she was grateful for the overwhelming support that followed the incident, she was particularly moved by how many people thanked the business for speaking out.
“The love, the support, the messages and the hundreds of people standing up for kindness have left me feeling incredibly emotional.
“But there’s one thing that has touched me more than anything. The amount of people THANKING us for speaking out.
“And I suppose that’s what I want to talk about this morning.
“Because to us, speaking out against homophobia shouldn’t be something extraordinary.
“It should be normal. It should be the bare minimum.”
For Sophie, the issue is also deeply personal. She credited her mother with raising the family to be accepting, outspoken and protective of others, explaining that she had witnessed someone she loved being “brutally bullied” throughout childhood because of their sexuality.
“I know just how much it matters to have someone standing in your corner.”
That experience helped shape the values she wants the business to uphold. She made it clear that supporting LGBTQ+ customers isn’t something the family intends to negotiate or quietly set aside when faced with criticism.
Sophie also had some heartfelt words for her mother, thanking Cathy for creating a business where standing up for those values is part of the job.
“Thank you for building something so much bigger than an ice cream shop.
“Thank you for raising me to have a voice, for teaching me to use it, and for giving me the privilege of being in a business where I know I’ll never have to compromise my values.”
Taste of Sidmouth has pledged to continue calling out homophobia, celebrating Pride Month and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
Everyone Gets a Scoop at Taste of Sidmouth
Amid the ugly comments, the shop made sure its two unexpected guests knew that the hostility hadn’t changed how welcome they were.
Nick and Ant were directly addressed in another message from the business, which made it clear that their visit had been appreciated and that they would always be welcome back.
“Nick and Ant, if you happen to see this, please know that you are SO welcome in our shop, and we were absolutely delighted to meet you both.
“Taste of Sidmouth is a place for EVERYONE. Always has been. Always will be.”
And really, that’s the sort of attitude that deserves a five-star review. A small business welcomed two customers, celebrated their visit and refused to let strangers dictate who deserves a warm reception.
Nick and Ant came for gelato, not a public referendum on their marriage. Taste of Sidmouth, meanwhile, has made its position deliciously clear: love is welcome, homophobia isn’t, and nobody needs to explain why two men are sharing a sweet treat.
If that leaves some commenters with a bitter taste, perhaps they should try ordering something else.
Source: PostGuam