Italians were accepted into Scottish society as they didnât threaten traditional Scottish jobs. They largely provided a service to Scottish people, eg, Italian immigrants sold ice-cream from barrows (nicknamed âHokey Pokeyâ men).
Italians moved into working-class areas, combining ice cream making with selling fish and chips. Restaurants and takeaways were established and sold food using ingredients widely available in Scotland â fish and potatoes.
ITALIANS : POSITIVES
Italian businesses were embraced by Scottish society, with Nardiniâs and Lucaâs ice cream parlours still existing today.
Migration to Scotland enabled Italian immigrants to earn a good living in the prosperous Scottish economy.
ITALIANS : NEGATIVES
Italians arriving in Scotland were devout Roman Catholics. This meant that they were not accepted by the Presbyterian elements of Scottish society.
Immigrants maintained their Italian culture and values in Scotland - children were expected to marry into their community, families spoke Italian and food was Italian which made it more difficult for them to assimilate into society.
Family was at the heart of the business so the employees were usually family members, restricting opportunities for Scots to work in Italian businesses.