Van with bar in back wins eBay award

A bar owner who built a mobile pub in the back of a van after he had to close his establishment during the Covid lockdown has emerged as the winner in eBay's inaugural Van Conversion of the Year Awards.

"One thing you couldn't get in lockdown was freshly pulled pints"

Paul White, a bar owner from Liverpool, England, was awarded with a £10,000 cash prize and his van judged to be the "Best Business Entry" for his 'AmBEERlance', after his wife, Clare, applied to the awards on his behalf as she felt he deserved recognition for his work during Britain's lockdown.

With their business, The Dog House bar, closed during restrictions, the couple decided not to leave their future up to chance and Paul decided that if regulars couldn’t come to the bar, the bar would come to them. Using a Peugeot Boxer that was an ambulance in it's previous life, he used the huge volume of interior space to embark on an amazing conversion.

Paul said: "One thing you couldn't get in lockdown was freshly pulled pints, so the van allowed us to visit our regulars, while spreading a bit of joy. It also allowed us to pay our staff in full while the bar was closed and they were furloughed. It was so lovely to see neighbours buying each other pints to say 'thank you' as they were high risk so unable to go out".

It took him just four days to complete the conversion, and it turned out to be a lifesaver for White and the local community. He said: "It kept us afloat; we wouldn't have survived without it. We were able to source most of the parts from eBay, such as the solar panels, the lithium batteries, and the electrics. It made a massive difference because we needed everything fast so we could get out and see our regulars and other locals."

TV presenter and architect, host of Channel 4's Amazing Spaces, George Clarke was part of the judging panel and said: "It was an absolute pleasure judging eBay's first ever Van Conversion Awards. The story of Paul's conversion really stood out for me. It's quite amazing how a simple, humble van can actually save a business and the staff's livelihood. He hasn't gone over-the-top, he kept it functional, getting what he needed from eBay and having it up and running and serving the community in just four days, which is amazing."

Before selecting the overall winner, eBay's judging panel managed whittled the list down to seven stand-out van conversions from the following categories: Most Stylish Design, Best Business Entry, Best Luxury Camper, Best Professional Conversion, Engineering Innovation, Thriftiest Conversion and Best Beginner Build.

Most stylish design : Kareem Cheng and Lucy Ennis – Mercedes Lwb Sprinter: Kareem, a freelance Architectural Designer and Carpenter and his partner, Lucy, converted a Mercedes Lwb Sprinter. All the carefully selected materials and finishes were specifically chosen for their low VOC content, meaning no off-gassing or poor internal air quality issues from anything installed.

Best Professional Conversion : Daniel Parker (DUB Buses) – Defender 110 ex-British Red Cross Ambulance: Daniel is a professional vehicle converter who modified his customer’s Defender 110 ex-British Red Cross Ambulance into a luxury mobile home/office on wheels. The van, owned by RIG Automotive, was recently on display on the company's stand at Goodwood Revival

 

Best Luxury Camper : Cecile Hauderbourg (Vanpuravida) – Ducato L3H3: The van, dubbed "Miss Mokum", was built for a couple who are both avid wine-lovers. It is fitted with a wine cooler, fridge freezer, an awning to protect them from the sun, as they like to travel to Spain, and some impressive tech including an electric lift-up bed.

Engineering Innovation : Michael Clark – Toyota Landcruiser Amazon: Michael, who works in motor part sales, has taken an 80 series Toyota Landcruiser, and converted it into a compact, fully equipped, off-road campervan. Both the base vehicle and most the interior fit-out parts were purchased from eBay – right down to the fog lamps.

Thriftiest Conversion: Richard Eastcott – Renault Kangoo: Richard converted his van for his job as a carpenter. He maximised space with a pull-out drawer for small items and a bespoke rack to hold silicone, hand saws and other items. The free load space holds a custom mitre saw stand and other toolboxes which can be easily removed to free up room.

Best Beginner Build: Hannah Felce – XLWB Volkswagen Crafter Industry: Hannah and her partner converted their van to travel in while they saved to buy a house. Unfortunately, the lockdown meant they were back living with their parents. It took them two years to convert the van and during this time, Hannah fell pregnant. Although the conversion plans were put on hold, they still planned to adapt the van for their daughter who now absolutely loves taking trips in it.

(Words: Newspress and Philip Devine | Pics: Newspress)