‘Olive’, aptly named after her original green colouring, started life as a classic 1978 Type 2 VW delivery van. Fast-forward 37 years and she has been lovingly restored in vivid red – but with a difference. Because when the van stops and the roof is lifted, Olive is transformed into a mobile bar, built to provide Britain with bespoke cocktails.
The brainchild of Ollie Gray, The Cocktail Car already has an impressive back-catalogue of summer events and festivals under her cam belt, only weeks after her first journey as a mobile thirst quencher.
Following the restoration, interest really took off in June. After uploading a photo of the fully-stocked bus on Facebook, the image had gone viral within just a few days. 22,000 ‘likes and 83,000 ‘shares’ later, Ollie was inundated with calls and emails for event bookings.
Adventurous, outdoors approach
“The reaction to the van conversion was fantastic. Since the bar was completed in June, we’ve had so many great comments online and at the events we’ve attended around the country. We’ve even had enquires as far as Texas, which might be a trip a bit too far for Olive!” said Ollie.
“I chose a classic VW as this instantly-recognisable style lends itself to an adventurous, outdoors approach. We’ve found this has attracted a whole variety of customers including other VW owners, cocktail enthusiasts and those who just appreciate the unusual appearance. It even attracted the attention of drum and bass band Rudimental, who did their pre-set interview live from the Cocktail Car at Lovebox.”
With a fully stocked bar, Olive, Ollie and his team of expert mixologists will be on the road for some time yet, with a season packed full of festivals, private functions and outdoor events.
With plans for a whole fleet of cocktail cars, we await Ollie’s next high-end, custom VW van to roll out of the garage – complete with its own twists and features. And with such demand for their services, the journey is just beginning for the Cocktail Car Company.
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