Sarisbury Green couple invest in Tin and Tonic horsebox mobile bar business

Faced with redundancy from her HR job, and inspired by seeing a mobile bar at a friend’s wedding, Jo Hudson decided to follow her dream and set up a bar business with a difference.

Together with her husband James, the pair bought Tin & Tonic, a 1982 Rice Beaufort horsebox that doubles as a bar.

Jo, from Sarisbury Green, said: ‘We bought Tin & Tonic as a going concern for £9,000. She started life in Leicester, where she was converted by the previous owners. They were hoping to emigrate to Australia, hence the reason she was for sale.

‘I’d had my eye on a few of them since the beginning of the year, however we held off having heard the rumblings of an infection coming out of China, and thank goodness we did.

‘However, in June I was made redundant from my HR role at Carnival UK, and it just felt like the right time to buy Tin & Tonic.

‘We’d accepted that the rest of this year would be quite slow for bookings. We had to take a bit of a risk, but it’s certainly paid off as the interest in her for small gatherings has been great, and bookings are coming in for 2021.’

The couple, who have two children Hollie, 13, and William,10, are hoping that 2021 will bring good things as people look to hold celebrations to mark things missed this year.

‘There’s lots of talk within the events industry, especially weddings, that things are picking up for next year,’ Jo said.

‘Those who unfortunately had to cancel their weddings are busy planning for even bigger and better celebrations in 2021, so we are keeping everything crossed that this continues!’

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The bar specialises in locally sourced gin served with premium tonics and garnishes, signature proseccos and artisan Somerset cider.

Jo said: ‘We have a passion for perfection and particularly where it comes to cocktails and ensuring that we tailor our events to the exact requirements of the host and their guests. Our specially sourced range of locally sourced artisan gins and prosecco make the most perfect Negroni, passion fruit fizz and a martini of which even James Bond would be proud.’