Boris Johnson visited Barry Island yesterday ahead of the Senedd election on Thursday.

Despite the blustery wind and rain, the Prime Minister served ice creams from behind the counter at Marco's Café.

Business owner Marco Zeraschi told Nub News he recognised the police security team that usually escort high profile visitors and "put two and two together" to realise who was coming.

"They usually escort VIPs like the Royal Family or Prime Ministers, so I thought something was happening," said Marco.

"Then I had a message asking if we'd mind if Boris came to the shop."

Marco said he welcomed top political names from all parties to publicise Barry Island.

"We had Mark Drakeford here on Monday and this shop is apolitical," he said.

"There are a lot of cynics out there, but all we're interested in is adverting the island.

"We've got several businesses out here, not just this one.

"I just want to get Barry Island in the papers and advertise the location.

"We've got to get it out there that Barry Island is a family resort, and it's the place to be.

"It's better for business – it's a win-win situation."

The café owner was also pleased that Boris Johnson recognised him after a visit two years ago.

"My greeting was 'Prime Minister we meet again'," said Marco.

"He said 'Yes we do Marco' and I thought we were going to draw swords then like in a movie!

"He just wanted to scoop some ice cream and he had a cup of coffee to go, which was all paid for by the way by the Conservative party. They were insistent on that one."

The Prime Minister spent about ten minutes at the café, taking selfies and speaking with visitors.

Responding to criticism that the visit encouraged the breaking of social distancing guidelines set by the Prime Minister himself, Marco said: "The crowd surge made it difficult to maintain social distancing.

"The security team was shouting 'two metres' over and over, but people wanted selfies with Boris. They did their best."

Marco's promotional plans worked: later that day he received a text from a friend in Greece that he had seen Boris' Barry Island visit.

He put it down to the 'Gavin & Stacey' effect.

"Ruth Jones and James Corden have been the catalysts of a renaissance and rebirth for Barry Island," said Marco.

"We hit some low points, but the show put us back on the map, and the BBC has given us a multimillion-pound advertising campaign for free.

"People get curious, that's the beauty of tourism. You go round, have fish and chips, ice cream, buy a bucket and spade and spend money in the local economy."

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, Vale MP Alun Cairns and Matt Smith, Conservative Senedd candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan also joined Boris on his visit.

"This is Boris' second visit to Barry Island and first as Prime Minister," Alun Cairns told Nub News.

"Although the weather was very different to his first visit when it was a sweltering hot day, the storms didn't dampen any enthusiasm.

"People came from the beach and promenade to say hello and have selfies with the Prime Minister.

"There was almost a rugby scrum around him of people wanting to shake hands by touching elbows.

"I was delighted he responded to my invitation and I think that Barry always prospers by getting high profile visits like this.

"These pictures of our fantastic natural resource will be broadcast far and wide and highlight how great Barry Island and the town is," he said.