markek Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Hi all, hope well, me new here :) I've been wanting to get some kind of campervan/motorhome - is there a crucial difference I'll be ridiculed for? ;) - for some time, and especially now we've moved to SW of England. Recently however another factor has a key role. A new biz plan could feasibly be mobile food vending - (food markets, popular coastal sites, possibly festivals and more) that makes it seem 'not a luxury but a necessity' (that's what Im working on with other half) A) What types of vehicle (never owned a m/h before) have 2 good sinks and would pass regs for food vending? - While also (ideally same time) having space for 4 to sleep and sometimes 1 more - sidetents? B) Excuse ignorance (s'why Im here) are motorhomes generally longer lasting and more reliable than most cars? C) What are cheapest 5/6 new models that satisfy above? And likely best 2nd hand models? E) Anyone done this before? (Food biz in a m/h). Regs achievable? Thanks for patience in advance, your advice would be greatly appreciated, Happy trails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Try gutting a large caravan and pulling it with a transit van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markek Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thanks, I can see that could work. Am after a single vehicle though if at all possible: if the kitchen area is sufficient for regs, and it has side tents for extra space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Mark, It's impossible to adapt any M/H for your venture. You cannot store and serve food plus try to accommodate 4/5 living persons, its a non starter. I suggest you visit the many roadside traders who already run food outlets to see how they manage. If you really must do this then you will need a very large M/H at £100.000 plus for all the family and tow a trailer with the food outlet in it which is entirely separate from all living persons. Only then will the food health laws allow to operate. Perhaps? Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 markek - 2015-03-20 10:13 PM Thanks, I can see that could work. Am after a single vehicle though if at all possible: if the kitchen area is sufficient for regs, . Kitchen area is barely adequate for family (many of us eat out or get takeaways) let alone food vending. You need a specialized trailer for food vending, towed by a motorhome for the family. I saw this at the Bedford River Festival. I have no interested in men dressed as women, but I was very impressed with their set up and they were doing a roaring trade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markek Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Thanks Will, these overhopeful 'ideas in progress' of mine sometimes need to be trimmed back by knowledge and sense like that; appreciated. I wonder about possibility of a motorhome that carries a stall that can sell stuff (already prepared on a registered site). Need, as you suggested to talk to more folks. Cheers, enjoy the good weather :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Sounds to me like what you need is a RV and a catering trailer ;-) ........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Where is he holed up anyway?. Probably trying to escape this crappy weather. It's been tipping it down here at Bonterra for the best part of 24hrs. Am I glad we are going home on Thursday. It's been an absolute rubbish winter in Spain this year. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeti Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 A yank tank would give you sufficent space,but our food safety rules will not permit a dual use vehicle. I would suggest an RV and a catering trailer. Alternitively a bus conversion and a caravan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 markek - 2015-03-21 9:07 AM I wonder about possibility of a motorhome that carries a stall that can sell stuff (already prepared on a registered site). I admire your enthusiasm for everyone starts somewhere. But all the many food outlets that I've met on my travels all over the UK for 60 years have only ever been set up as a single mobile outlets with no accommodation anywhere near. You will obviously aim to maximise your number of customers which means a good supply of quality food which is a complete separate issue to wanting to involve a Motorhome. Truck drivers are fussy people and will only call at recognised traders, not any odd one that happens to pop up. You suggest stuff already prepared ... When ?... all food goes off including pre-packaged pies and cakes unless you mean tinned goods. Would you buy tinned goods when you have a day out ... No. I can't workout why you feel you need a Motorhome is order to sell your goods. If you aim to replenish any food daily you will have to either travel to a wholesale supplier (wherever that is) or continually go into a town to buy and with a large M/H that's a problem. I assume your idea is to live in the M/H with family and trade outside in order to finance the project. They do not go together. Either have a M/H for enjoyment or a food outlet not both. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Will85 - 2015-03-22 3:32 PM all the many food outlets that I've met on my travels all over the UK for 60 years have only ever been set up as a single mobile outlets with no accommodation anywhere near. There was at the camp cooks site I saw at the Bedford River Festival (excellent and free). They had the motorhome parked parallel with the trailer and a tarpaulin stretched between, making extra covered space and a private walkway between the 2 vehicles. One of them was under the tarp preparing veg, two were cooking and serving, whilst the other one was running backwards and forwards to Tesco to get more ingredients. It didn't look at all seedy because they were all so bright, cheerful, and spotlessly clean like Lily Savage. I had a tasty veg curry for £5, I guess the ingredients would cost them about 50p. Thats the way to do it (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Can I suggest that the food outlet you saw at the Bedford River Festival was a week-end earner. I cannot see how a family of 4/5 can support itself on the amount taken on a weekend. There are all the costs of motorhome - hygiene food trailer - insurance for public liability - compliance with food standards - purchase of raw ingredients (which might not be sufficient or overstocked) - advertising - petrol/diesel - propane gas - cleaning materials - Laundry for cloths and clothes. Traders at Festivals also have to pay to be there - usually in advance! Think also of the hours of labour involved. Easy for the one taking the money and handing over a few items of food, but SLAVE labour for the others. Not too bad on a balmy day, but not so much fun when a freezing wind is blowing or the other alternative, it is baking hot. How many weeks of the year are you planning to operate? The family needs to eat, tackle personal laundry (can be expensive) entertainment of various kinds - electricity - camping fees. Joyce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Fair point, like Motorway Service Areas, most people see mobile food outlets at busy times when they are raking in the cash, and may get the idea its always like that. No businesses are easy, unless you are Prince Charles or the Duke of Westminster inheriting vast areas of land with a mountain of cash - you can't really go wrong there. Very few have really done it all themselves. Richard Branson for example, had a barrister father to mortgage the family home and bail him out of Dover prison. For the rest of us starting any business with little capital is difficult, and with many pitfalls. PS: This link isn't quite what the OP asked for, but may find it interesting... http://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/caravan-insurance/street-food-their-vans-and-caravans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.