The public were wowed by this extraordinary concept. The SILVANO’S PROSECCO BAR & PATISSERIE

is based on the plan of transforming   a traditional bus into an opulent long chesterfield leather booth seated Routemaster   with a luxurious and well-equipped bar and lounge area.  The results of seven hours of “stationary bus-touring” resulted in the consumption of over 700 bottles of Ombra Di Pantera Prosecco, 500 bottles of Birra Moretti, 200 pots of Mamas homemade Gelato and  over 500 artisanal Italian patisseries direct from the southern Italian province of Latina of flavours such as White Chocolate Lobster tails, Sicilian Pistaccio and Chocolate Cannolini.

 

There is a certain nostalgia for Routemasters in the UK. Despite the retirement of the original version, the Routemaster has retained iconic status, and is considered a British cultural icon. London is black cabs, red telephone boxes, and yes, The Routemaster. The first buses entered service with London Transport in February 1956 and the last were withdrawn from regular service in December 2005. Although one heritage route is still operated by Routemasters in central London. These buses are sturdy beasts, and with such up-to-date features as aluminum frame and power-steering, they were intended to replace the capital's trolleybuses. Only 2,876 were built, mostly for London, and now there are only 10 working daily in the capital. As Londoners say - Venice have its gondolas; we have the Routemaster.

 

So, what is the story behind this savvy and inventive start-up? Emilia and Louisa Turchet, two businesswomen from Italy, decided to embark on an entrepreneurial journey and set up their own luxury hospitality, catering and event management company, Silvano’s Prosecco Bar and Patisserie.

 

“It all started a year and half ago sitting on a doorstep with a cup of tea. We pondered what life could be like if we started our own business. And out of nowhere, we thought of a conversion of a Routemaster into …wait for it…a fish and chip shop. This idea did not last long though. We became convinced that whatever we did with the bus, it had to be half Italian. Just like us. One evening, we were in a bar, and that was when the idea came. Let’s do Prosecco.”- said Louisa .

 

Emilia, co-owner and founder, said “A Routemaster is a British cultural icon, and enthusiasts from all over the world purchase these classic beauties. Funnily, as it is rather difficult to find one in the UK, which is in a relatively good condition. So, we decided to source a Polish collector in Poland who was prepared to sell us one of his buses. Unfortunately this fell  through.  After months of continuous searching, we finally came across a stunning Routemaster for sale, which was stored in London and had been owned by Chelsea football club. We bought it on the spot.”

 

Getting the bus back from London to Nottingham was only the first step of the entrepreneurial journey.

 

“We knew exactly how we wanted the bus interior to be designed and set up. We had a clear vision of the brand also. Stylish, modern and sophisticated to suit high end luxury clients. We found all the suppliers and craftsmen who understood what we wanted, and we trusted them with the construction process. We wanted to keep many of its original features. The bell was definitely one of them. But we opted to replace all seating area to enhance the luxury experience of the interior bar.”- said Louisa.

 

After the girls had gathered all the plans together, put them all down on paper with all the creative ideas and sent them over to potential Bar Fitting companies, it is a wonder what the opinions were by the guys that accepted the project when they were first approached with this unique idea:

 

“The initial call about converting an old London bus to a prosecco bar was an intriguing one. After presenting the enquiry, other members of the team were surprised after reviewing, to see it was on a Routemaster bus. We were excited to be part of this project. We then arranged to meet Emilia and Louisa at the bus, or ‘The Beast’ as it was named to go through their thoughts and wishes as far as layout and finishes were concerned. Like most initial meetings it is a good chance to see how open to ideas a client is and to gauge what they absolutely must have to create the atmosphere they require.

 

From that initial meeting and working to their requirements, we developed a scheme that met their wishes and budget. This included selecting finishes and ensuring we incorporated the elements they were supplying. Having finalized the requirements, we agreed to start the conversion of the ‘The Beast’.

 

It’s been a rare opportunity to enjoy a project such as this one. I am sure our new friends will have a successful business going forward.”

 

The lower deck of this exquisitely finished bus consists of solid oak counters with sunken ice buckets and a top of the range professional coffee machine, while the upper deck lounge offers plush leather booth seating, soft lighting and wooden floor.  

 

“We are very excited, as after our launch we have been approached by several companies to host exclusive events and parties on our iconic Routemaster. This shows that people will absolutely love this concept for luxury entertainment. Most perfect for summer parties, we would like to also be present at festivals such as Goodwood Festival of Speed, Glastonbury VIP area and Horse Trial events across the UK from next year on.”- said Emilia .

 

 

If you would like Silvano’s Prosecco Bar and Patisserie to make your event unforgettable please check out their website www.silvanos.co.uk or contact at emilia@silvanos.co.uk or louisa@silvanos.co.uk.

A presto!!!