We make £1,000s serving pints onboard a BUS… punters don’t have a lot of room but they come back for more
A COUPLE who nearly risked bankruptcy on an investment saw their fortunes change and now run a pub inside a converted double decker bus.
James Hay, 40, and partner Charley Base, 39, always dreamt of running their own business together but had never found the right opportunity.
The couple almost signed on a brick and mortar pub lease in early 2020 before “easing off the gas” due to the pandemic.
This decision, James reckons, likely saved them around £100,000 and from a potential bankruptcy.
Now, they run their pub Ludo’s from inside an old double decker bus.
James, originally from Portsmouth, couldn’t believe his luck when he found out the previous lease on the bus was ending.
It was being shared at the time by brewery Earth as a taproom as well as a board game café during the day.
However, after they moved out, it gave the perfect opportunity for James and Charley to move in and swoop up the desirable site.
Taking over the lease, the couple injected £20,000 into restoring the bus from its previous state.
That included a professional beer system installation, new fridges, and a general refresh to the bus interior.
The result is a cosy and warm environment that would make any pubgoer feel at home.
Charley, a comedy act booker, and James regularly run comedy nights on the top floor of the bus, as well as live music, and pub quizzes.
We went along to one music event and spoke to those attending, as well as one of the performers.
Fi, 25, described the concert as an “ethereal experience” atop the “beautiful” bus.
She said the uniqueness of sitting aboard a former bus to listen to musicians created a “culturally enriching” environment for the audience.
Sa-ad, 20, loved the “intimate” feel of the bus and jokingly remarked at how it’s the “nicest experience” you can have on a bus anywhere.
He added: “You have a lot of unique venues in London but this one tops them all.
“It’s such an intimate venue. There’s nowhere for the performer to go other than in the audience.
“You really form a better connection. It’s such an interesting venue combined with its care for its performers.
“It’s something gimmicky that cares.”
All of the guests we spoke to said they will definitely be back at the unique venue.
Porteous, 25, who performed at the show, said: “It was so wholesome.
“It’s so surreal to have something so silent. You’re literally face to face. It’s amazing, it’s really really beautiful.”
Converting the bus
When the couple inherited the Volvo bus, it had already had some of its interior altered in order to accommodate Earth’s tap room.
But James admitted it did need some “love” to bring it up to the standard for Ludo’s.
The pair set ahead and invested around £20,000 into new furnishings, beer equipment, and styling for the pub.
The couple gave the motor a fresh lick of paint and adorned it with their own signs to give the bus its snazzy look.
But it was not just the outside of the bus that needed a new lease of life.
Inside, the team set to bring a warm and cosy feel to the 28-year-old bus.
This meant installing new lights and lamps, and smartening up the seating and tables.
The result is a bright and fashionable upstairs that plays host to comedians and live musicians throughout the week.
The lower deck of the bus also required a lot of work to build the venue’s bar.
The bare bones interior was showered with a new bar top, colourful furnishings, and a warm design to create the ultimate cosy pub feel.
James said the inspiration for the conversion came from his inadvertent first project from when the pair lived together on a canal boat.
They had transformed their former home in Manchester into a liveable space.
This first conversion gave them the itch to undertake an even bigger project, which ended up being Ludo’s.
Speaking about the cost of the bus conversion, despite its high initial price, James said the pair now enjoy a “healthy” cash flow from a mixture of patrons.
The entrepreneur added that he wanted to make a venue that straddles that middle crowd of those that feel they can’t go to cheap “older” style pubs but desire that homely, cosy, and affordable feel.
Ludo’s also pushes a major sustainability and independent front, stocking a selection of local beers as well as homemade cakes.
James believes it’s what puts Ludo’s a cut above a standard pub and hopes it will attract more environmentally conscious patrons.
On top of this, he wants Ludo’s to play its part in showcasing sustainable business.