3 minute read
MEET POP
Meet Pops
Pops is going to be everyone’s friend. He’s a charming Piaggio Ape 50 who is stocked full of prosecco, beer and gin, and he’ll come to your party. Mary Bremner met him
CLAIRE HALL HAS been a freelance corporate event producer for 25 years. She organises conferences, award dinners, corporate parties, product launches and exhibitions. This means that historically she is pretty quiet professionally during the summer and at Christmas when big corporate events are few and far between.
‘Because of this I had been thinking about opening a party planning business,’ says
Claire. ‘I would be able to use my skills, contacts and suppliers to run smaller private parties and events. It’s something I had always wanted to do, it fitted in with my main career but it was just making the time to get it organised.’
Famous last words, as they say. Covid hit and Claire’s corporate work vanished overnight. ‘The whole industry just shut down as obviously every event was cancelled.’ But every cloud has a silver lining and it gave Claire more time to plan her private party business.
‘Whilst doing some research for a client I came across lots of horse box bars which got me thinking that a mobile bar could be a good add on for my party planning business. Then one day I came across a converted Ape, a gorgeous fun little three wheeler which I knew was perfect. So we started looking for one. There were lots for sale that had already been converted which weren’t quite what I wanted. Then I found Pops who was made in the 1990s, needed a bit of tlc, and he was only up the road in Huntingdon; sold!’
Claire has an ace up her sleeve when it comes to small Italian vehicles. Her husband Matt owns Rockingham cars in Corby which, of course is a Fiat dealership, and had a lot of contacts. Within three months this little van, which is an adaptation of the Piaggio Vesta scooter, had been converted into Pops, a high end tiny bar that produces prosecco and beer on tap. I’ve met Pops and I can tell you he’s definitely masculine.
He’s already been out to several small garden parties, (within the guidelines) and can serve 160 glasses of prosecco and up to 80 pints of beer. Claire will usually go with Pops so she can serve the drinks but, as regulations ease, you may well be able to serve yourself. nd ops offers a good supply of locally sourced gins too.
Claire has other plans for Pop too. She is working with a local caterer to develop an afternoon tea and fi pac age and a gra ing box. Pops can also be booked for children’s parties where he will serve hot chocolate and cupcakes. He’s pretty versatile is old Pops! And as he’s really rather small he can go inside as well. As long as you have a double door with no steps and the height to allow him to open his lift up doors he’s happy anywhere; particularly in barns, marquees and ga ebos.
Pops can be driven, but he’s rather slow so will normally arrive on the back of a trailer as he has a tiny engine, just 50cc (hence the model name). Thankfully for Claire business is picking up again in the corporate world and Pops is getting booked up too; I’m looking forward to getting better acquainted with him. Prices start at £500. Get in touch with laire to find out more.
