A nostalgic glimpse of Newcastle in 1962, showing a horse-drawn carriage passing the Mark Toney premises. The historic photograph captures a bygone era of the city and a business that became part of generations of Geordie family memories
The end of an era has been confirmed for Newcastle, as the city's much-loved Mark Toney ice cream cafés close after 134 years of history, bringing an emotional conclusion to a business that has been part of generations of North East family life.
After weeks of uncertainty surrounding the future of the famous Grainger Street and Percy Street premises, staff have shared a heartfelt farewell message thanking customers for their loyalty, friendship and memories.
The announcement follows growing concern about the future of the historic ice cream business, which Great Park Gazette first reported on 20 October 2026.
At that time, reports of a possible closure had begun circulating, but there was no official confirmation of what was happening.
Now, with both city-centre cafés remaining closed and staff saying goodbye, the feared outcome has become a reality for generations of customers who grew up visiting Mark Toney.
Staff say an emotional goodbye to customers
The confirmation emerged on Monday 2 November following a farewell statement shared on social media by staff at the Percy Street café.
In a message addressed to their customers, the team expressed their gratitude to everyone who had visited the business over the years.
They wrote:
"It's been a pleasure serving you, having a chat, sharing a smile and being part of so many people's days."
The message reflected the personal connections that had developed between staff and customers, many of whom had visited the cafés regularly for years.
The team also spoke warmly about the conversations, laughter and shared experiences that made working at Mark Toney memorable.
Whether customers visited for a morning coffee, a family meal, an ice cream or simply somewhere familiar to meet friends, the staff acknowledged the important part they had played in the café's history.
The farewell ended with gratitude for the memories and good wishes for customers in the future.
For a business that has been part of Newcastle life since 1892, the message marks a particularly poignant moment.
The familiar red-and-cream signage outside Mark Toney's Newcastle ice cream parlour, a much-loved city-centre institution that has now closed after 134 years of history
Great Park Gazette previously reported concerns about the closure
The announcement follows an earlier investigation by Great Park Gazette into growing speculation surrounding the future of Mark Toney.
On Tuesday 20 October, we published an article examining reports that one of Newcastle's longest-established ice cream businesses could be closing.
At the time, information circulating on social media had suggested that a city-centre premises might have shut its doors.
However, we made clear that the reports had not been independently verified and that no official explanation had been provided.
Our original article explored the business's remarkable history, from its Italian beginnings in the late nineteenth century to its place in the childhood memories of generations of Newcastle residents.
We also explained that it remained unclear whether the reported closure concerned one café, both premises or the wider business.
That uncertainty has now been resolved in relation to the two city-centre cafés, although questions remain about the company's wider operations.
Readers can revisit our original report here:
Both Grainger Street and Percy Street cafés affected
The closure affects Mark Toney's two longstanding Newcastle city-centre cafés.
The Grainger Street premises had remained shuttered for several weeks, prompting concern among customers who were accustomed to seeing the familiar red-and-cream shopfront in the heart of Newcastle.
Meanwhile, the Percy Street branch had also remained closed, with a notice displayed in its window attributing the interruption to an electrical fault.
Although that notice initially suggested a possible temporary problem, the continued closure of both cafés led to growing speculation that something more significant was happening.
The subsequent farewell message from the Percy Street team has now provided confirmation that customers should no longer expect the cafés to resume normal trading under the existing arrangements.
However, the precise circumstances behind the closures have not been publicly established.
There has been no verified explanation confirming whether financial pressures, operational difficulties, property-related issues or other factors contributed to the decision.
The earlier electrical fault notice should not, on its own, be taken as evidence of the underlying reason for the business's closure.
It also remains unclear what the announcement means for the ice cream production operation previously based at Benton Square.
From an Italian ice cream cart to a Newcastle institution
The story of Mark Toney began in 1892, when Giovanni Marcantonio arrived in Newcastle from Picinisco, a mountain village in Italy, with his young son Antonio.
Like many Italian families who settled in Britain during the nineteenth century, the Marcantonios hoped to establish a new life through enterprise and hard work.
Giovanni began selling traditional Italian ice cream from a handcart around Newcastle's streets and markets.
The business gradually expanded, with Antonio later taking over alongside his wife Angela.
As the family's reputation for ice cream grew, they established their first parlour in the Grainger Arcade.
Over the following decades, the Mark Toney name became synonymous with traditional ice cream, family outings and Newcastle city-centre shopping trips.
The Grainger Street café opened in 1962, while the business's association with Percy Street dates back to the 1930s.
The later Percy Street premises opened in 1974, following the redevelopment of the area associated with the construction of Eldon Square.
For generations of customers, these cafés became familiar landmarks in Newcastle.
They offered somewhere to enjoy breakfast, lunch, coffee, traditional desserts or an ice cream sundae, often in surroundings that retained much of their original character.
But their importance extended beyond the food they served.
They became places where friendships developed, families gathered and memories were created.
The business changed hands within the family in 2022
Mark Toney's history also includes a significant change of ownership relatively recently.
In March 2022, specialist business property adviser Christie & Co announced that Mark Toney & Co Limited had been sold following the retirement of Antony Marcantonio, a great-grandson of founder Giovanni Marcantonio, and his wife Anne.
The transaction included the company's ice cream production facilities at Benton Square Industrial Estate and its two Newcastle city-centre cafés.
Importantly, the business remained within the wider Marcantonio family.
Chris Raynes, a great-great-grandson of Giovanni Marcantonio, became a new co-owner and managing director.
At the time, the new owners expressed enthusiasm for preserving the family heritage and continuing a business that had become deeply embedded in Newcastle's identity.
The sale was presented as an opportunity to carry the Mark Toney tradition into another generation.
Just over four years later, the closure of the two city-centre cafés represents a major change in that longstanding tradition.
There is currently no verified evidence establishing any connection between the 2022 ownership change and the circumstances behind the closures announced in November 2026.
What does the closure mean for staff and the wider business?
Although the farewell statement has confirmed the end of trading at the two cafés, several important questions remain unanswered.
The number of staff affected by the closures has not been confirmed.
Neither have the arrangements for employees, the future of the premises or whether another operator might eventually take over either location.
The future of the Mark Toney brand and its wider ice cream production activities also remains unclear.
It is important to distinguish between the closure of the two cafés and the formal closure or dissolution of the company itself.
The closure of retail premises does not automatically mean that the associated limited company has ceased to exist or that every part of its business has stopped operating.
Further clarification from the company's owners would help establish the full position.
A loss that will be felt across Great Park and the wider North East
Although Mark Toney's cafés were based in Newcastle city centre, their closure will resonate with customers far beyond Grainger Street and Percy Street.
For residents of Newcastle Great Park, Gosforth, Kingston Park and surrounding communities, the name Mark Toney may bring back memories stretching across several decades.
Many people now living in Great Park grew up elsewhere in Newcastle and will remember visiting the cafés with their parents or grandparents.
For some, it was the promise of a Knickerbocker Glory after a shopping trip.
For others, it was a banana split, a favourite ice cream flavour or simply the excitement of being taken somewhere special.
There were family celebrations, lunchtime meetings, conversations over coffee and countless ordinary moments that became treasured memories.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of Mark Toney's history was the way those memories were passed between generations.
Children who visited in the 1960s or 1970s could return decades later with children and grandchildren of their own.
The familiar interiors, traditional recipes and recognisable name helped create a sense of continuity in a city that has undergone enormous change.
The loss of such a longstanding institution is therefore about more than the disappearance of two cafés.
It marks the end of a familiar part of Newcastle's social history.
Can anything of Mark Toney be preserved?
With the cafés now closed, attention may turn to what happens next.
The business's history stretches back more than 130 years, encompassing the development of Newcastle's shopping streets, the growth of Italian family businesses in the North East and changing patterns of social life.
Old photographs, menus, ice cream memorabilia, advertising material and personal memories could provide an important record of that history.
There may also be questions about the future of the distinctive premises, particularly the Grainger Street café, which has been associated with the Mark Toney name for more than six decades.
At present, no confirmed plans for the future use of either location have been established.
Whatever happens to the buildings or the brand, the contribution made by generations of the Marcantonio family and the employees who worked for the business remains an important part of Newcastle's heritage.
Have your say: What are your memories of Mark Toney?
The confirmed closure will undoubtedly bring back memories for thousands of North East residents.
Great Park Gazette would love to hear from readers who visited Mark Toney over the years.
Were you taken there as a child by your parents or grandparents?
Do you remember your first Knickerbocker Glory, your favourite ice cream flavour or a special family occasion?
Perhaps you worked at one of the cafés, knew members of the team or have old photographs showing how the premises changed over the decades.
We would welcome your memories and photographs through the Great Park Residents Group on Facebook.
The doors of the two cafés may have closed, but for generations of Geordies, the memories of Mark Toney will remain.
Research and further reading
Great Park Gazette – Original Mark Toney closure investigation, 20 October 2026
Christie & Co – Mark Toney & Co sale announcement, March 2022
Editorial clarification: The closure of Mark Toney's two Newcastle city-centre cafés has been reported following a farewell statement from staff at the Percy Street premises. The wider company's future, the precise reasons for closure and the position of its production operations have not been independently confirmed by Great Park Gazette.
