C5ALIVE Forum
C5Alive General Category => C5 Chatroom => Topic started by: thedesigntailor on 08, January, 2013 - 21:13:16
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Hi guys
I might have an opportunity to start a little side venture with a mobile food business. I've found a great untapped spot surrounded by hungry and wealthy business people. I'm enquiring to see if they'll let me pop something there but in the mean time I am thinking about what to use.
Does anybody have any experience in this world? I will need some help converting a vehicle for use
I think a burger van style won't go down well, so am looking to find something that is unusual and quirky. I'd love to do a Airstream style something, I don't think I could raise that kind of money.
So... any ideas?
My C5 is too small ;D so need to think clever.
Also thinking about doing world food, goat curry, that kind of thing. So I (or the staff) don't need to do too much cooking or prep on site. Really good quality but easy to serve food. Yum!
Dan x
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This is amazing but probably a bit pricey to achieve. What you think?
(http://teardropindependent.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/cheese_wheels.jpg)
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If you do goat curry can you park outside my house please! It's impossible to get goat here and it's one of my favourite meats :(
I tend to only get it once a year if we get down to Goose Fair in Nottingham in October (which I missed this time)
On the ideas side, I know you can pick up old buses/coaches pretty cheap and if they're over a certain age and only have 8 permanent seats you can drive them on a normal licence (in the UK anyway). It would give plenty of room for the kitchen area plus indoor seating.
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Without joking, come here to Munich, there's a ready to go unit sat outside here doing nothing for the last six months. It belonged to a Turk who died not long ago, and his son has no interest as he has employment. The only problem, besides the distance, is the unit is LHD.
(http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w477/XE521/Grill_Waggon_zpsc348cb8b.jpg)
I did't know untill I took this shot that I know the family, the name is on the door.
EDIT: Photo added.
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I do know a little about this business as I make & supply amongst others skirts to go around the bottom of catering vans, usually trailer types. My customers often make their own conversions, or buy from other former showmen who specialise in purpose built trailers or small truck conversions. The French have a fantastic range of small truck mobile shops, so you might nbe able to pick one up there, or take up Karl's suggestion. If you want an intro to the Showmen who make these things in Lutterworth, I can try to arrange it.
I know that in NYC it is all the rage currently to eat from mobile catering wagons offering really high quality and unusual take away food.
I was at the Goose Fair this year on business, as I was several in years past, and the variety of takeaways has increased imaginatively. I stick to mushy peas when there, (they were actually initially developed as the first takeaway but didn't catch on universally).
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Mhurt - We are lucky in Bristol that it's easy to get hold of pretty much any type of food. I even know someone who can supply cobra!
KarlG - That looks a good sized unit but I want to have a vehicle that stands out a bit more and is a bit more unusual.
A bus is a good idea as Mhurt says - I'd have to find a nice classic one, but I can't find many online. Also been looking at Airstreams in the US but I expect the shipping would be expensive!
Coverman - Yes, it seems that 'street food' is enjoying a resurgence. Esp around here where it seems the low over heads are being plowed into quality ingredients rather than cheaper costs. There's even a mobile Oyster trailer around. I reckon it's a good business to get into before theres no pitches left as all the guys in my studio go out and spend £4.50 a lunch on something tasty from a street vendor. A lot of money in my opinion.
I just hope to get a thumbs up from the people who manage the space where I'd like to be.
Dan
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Hi Dan,
is this more to your taste? ::) ::)
(http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w477/XE521/4U_zpsad593474.jpg)
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Tell me something, if you were looking at a bus would you want a roadworthy one, or if it was a vintage one with the wow factor would you take on a restoration project? If you want a resto job on a pretty amazing bus then I actually know of one that's about 25 miles from Bristol ;-) I can upload a photo if it interests you, but it's 50's or 60's, and a real eye catcher!
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Just found the photo... it's in the West Country, I can give you directions etc, but it's an amazing thing to see.
We were on holiday in Weston Super Mare in November, and as we were driving along a road I saw the roof poking above a hedge, so I pulled over, stopped, and this is what I saw :o
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/553802_463313157040902_934227760_n.jpg)
Now, A Bedford Vega, in good running condition, will set you back around £25,000. This one has obviously been off the road for a long time, but does seem complete so would make somebody a lovely project!
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Hi Dan,
is this more to your taste? ::) ::)
(http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w477/XE521/4U_zpsad593474.jpg)
You would look like a twerp driving that around. You would defiantly get more looks in that than you would in a C5
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You would look like a twerp driving that around.
U aint gonna sell no fast food by driving around, unless of course you have fast customers. ;D ;D ;D
With something like this no one could mistake the purpose of the vehicle. ::)
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as much as I love the hot-dog mobile ,I vote for the old bus....lovely classic shape 8)
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Definitely the bus , you could have seats inside for customers.Good luck anyhow.
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Love the bus - Looks like a lot of work needed though. Probably ok if I could leave it static.
Not far from me there are these - used to have a studio near by. Unfortantly the food they serve was pretty uninspiring. The bus would be cooler I think.
(http://goodbristol.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/tube-diner.jpg)
I should hear back on Monday about the space
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Let me know if you want details on where the bus is, it's near to Cheddar Gorge :)
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Really? That's interesting. I'll chat to my friend who would be helping convert.
Unfortunately my ideal location has said no. :(
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What about an old London double-decker? Eye-catcher and not too expensive.
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The other hurdle is that "technically" you can take the seats o u t and have it reclassified as a van/high but a double Decker will still weigh in excess of 10 tons with the seats out which means you'd need a class 2 hgv licence to drive it. Assuming you passed your test a few years ago though you might just get away with a small single decker being able to scrape under the 7.5 ton limit :-\
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Really Theo? Where can you get them? I've been googling for classic buses for sale but can't find anywhere for them.
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You'll think I'm joking, but you often get cheapies on EBay. There were a couple of lovely Wright Crusaders (single deck) on there a couple of weeks ago that sold for £1200 each. You can get a decker for around £800 but beware of hidden expenses because parts don't come cheap. I've been in the bus and coach industry for 17 years, from an assistant manager to a driver so am always happy to help and give advice on any you find :D
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Among other things, there is an interesting looking 1975 Bedford classic bus (ex-library coach) on eBay.
I also saw some potential vehicles at classic cars uk under the category "commercials"
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Nice thought Danny, but I don't think Wright Crusaders have the look. I saw the ex-library coach though Theo, I like it but still not there really.
I reckon theres a nice business model there though, converting old bus shells and interesting vehicles in to catering units. Be good for those cases where the interior is too far gone or missing loads.
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Not sure if this is of any use, but it's the reply I got from the DVLA about using a bus as a mobile community centre. If you had a mobile cafe that also doubled as an exhibition of some sort......
A mobile project vehicle is defined in regulation 3 (1) of The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999 as amended as follows:
“a vehicle which has a maximum authorised mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes, is constructed or adapted to carry not more than 8 persons in addition to the driver and carries principally goods or burden consisting of-
(a) play or educational equipment and articles required in connection with the use of such equipment, or
(b) articles required for the purposes of display or of an exhibition,
and the primary purpose of which is use as a recreational, educational or instructional facility when stationary.”
Mobile project vehicles, which meet the definition, are exempt from the normal driver licensing requirements that apply to large vehicles
Regulation 51 (1) (r ) of The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences ) Regulations 1999 allows a person who has held a full GB, Northern Ireland or EC/EEA category B driving licence for an aggregate period of at least 2 years, is aged 21 or over to drive a mobile project vehicle on behalf of a non commercial body :-
(i) to or from the place where the equipment it carries is to be, or has been used, or the display or exhibition is to be, or has been mounted, or
(ii) to or from the place where a mechanical defect in the vehicle is to be , or has been remedied, or
(iii) in such circumstances that by virtue of paragraph 22 of schedule 2 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 the vehicle is not chargeable with duty in respect of its use on public roads.
N.B. Drivers who obtained their full category B licences before the 1st January 1997 are not subject to the same conditions as new drivers. They do not have to be 21 years of age or have held the licence for 2 years. The drivers are allowed to drive mobile project vehicles on behalf of both commercial and non-commercial bodies.
Mobile project vehicles which do not meet the definition will be subject to normal driver licensing requirements and the category of entitlement needed to drive the vehicle will depend on the vehicle's maximum authorised mass. This means that the driver of a vehicle, which is: -
a. up to 3.5 tonnes will need to hold category B;
b. between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes will need to hold category C1;
c. over 7.5 tonnes will need to hold category C.
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This page http://www.self-preservation-society.co.uk/jotter/driving.htm has info on the requirements for buses over 30 years old