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Born out of a passion for hospitality and fantastic customer service, Martin and Rachel decided it was time for them to bite the bullet and “Go for it”!
Both Martin & Rachel started their careers in hospitality, Martin as a chef and Rachel front of house supervisor, in the restaurant and on the bar.

Their careers were leading to running their own business, when, whilst pregnant, complications occurred and their eldest Jake, was born 13 weeks early. Rachel decided to give up her career, as Jake was later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and left confined to a wheelchair. The couple put their plans for a business on hold, and 2 more children later, Martin and Rachel have a fantastic family with 3 amazing children, Jake, Olivia and Isaac. Martin moved into Hospitality training and Rachel brought up the children and became Jakes full time carer.

Then, in the autumn of 2018, things were about to take a turn…………… After watching a section on “This Morning” Rachel came up with an idea to convert a vintage horsebox into a bar that specialises in Gin. With Martin still heavily involved in the hospitality industry as a hospitality trainer, he was up to date with current trends, legislation and with a backlog of contacts in the industry, the idea quickly developed into a passion and so Hilda was born! With their colossal knowledge of Gin, they decided this was the area they would like to specialise in.

After getting in touch with a few conversion companies, they decided to go with “Bespoke Conversions” in Widnes and after meeting Paula and Mark, they knew they had made the right choice. Bespoke Conversions sourced us a vintage “Rice Beaufort” horsebox, she was rescued from a field and at over 55 years old, she needed a little TLC. Rachel designed the trailer, from the colour, the layout, fixtures and fittings, wallpaper and accessories, Paula and Mark got to it and 5 months later, she was ready to roll. They decided to focus on local producers and suppliers, “We love the Ribble Valley” said the couple, “and being from Clitheroe, we have the best suppliers on our doorstep”.

They have travelled the UK and seen many establishments, bars, restaurants, pubs, etc… all serving Gin is various ways, from the perfect serve to personal preference, at the end of the day, it’s down to the customers taste when it comes to mixers and garnish. So, the bar carries a wide selection of Gins, over 40 from around the UK and afar and every flavour of mixer you can think of to accompany your preferred Gin. “We will always give our opinion and personal taste to Gin, but we make sure we tailor it to the customers preference, after all, the customer is always right!”

The Tipsy Truck Co are also passionate about the environment, so all their accessories are recyclable and environmentally friendly, from their cups, straws and stirrers, to the cardboard they receive their deliveries in, it’s all handled and disposed of safely and responsibly. The Tipsy Truck has a 5-star rating for Food Safety and Martin has his personal licence for the sale of alcohol, so you’re in good hands!

They have fabulous family and friends who have helped them out, their cousins keep Hilda safe and sound on their farm, their parents help with the accounts and maintenance, their close friends who have a Clitheroe pub and keep us informed of new stock lines. “We have our fantastic kids who help with setting up and serving”.

Their daughter Olivia has worked in restaurants and hotels, so she helps them at busy events whilst taking time out from her studies at University at Chester, Isaac helps them to set up for events and Jake keeps things organised at home, he also helps Rachel write the menu boards and corrects any spelling mistakes (he takes absolute pleasure in correcting her!). Jake enjoys books and literature and is hoping to become a famous author one day……watch this space!

Below is “Our story” taken from the website – www.tipsytruck.co.uk.
“We are The Tipsy Truck Co, passionately known as “Hilda” She is a vintage Rice trailer, lovingly converted bespoke to our specification. We can provide all your beverage requirements, served by our professional and qualified team from Hilda whatever the occasion.

We are really happy to attend any event, weddings, festivals, Christmas markets, etc… anywhere we can park up, we will attend and provide and excellent service and quality beverages.

We are fully licensed and H&S/Food safety qualified and we have both worked in Hospitality for over 30 years combined. We are a husband and wife team, both passionate about the industry and providing excellent customer service and with a good dose of humour, you won’t be disappointed with our service and products. Our Hilda is stylish, trendy and will fit any occasion, whether it’s a large festival, or a family gathering, a wedding or a corporate event, we will tailor it to fit your preference.
We will even personalise Hilda with your colour scheme or we will add your favourite “Tipple” on our bar menu, we can be as bespoke as Hilda is, nothing is too much trouble!”

As a business, we can offer so much more than just a bar, our tariffs below can be made to suit your needs and whatever your budget, we can work around this o make your event magical!

The options are.
Cash Bar – We turn up fully stocked, staffed, and ready to go. Guests pay for their drinks as they would at any event or bar.

Dry Bar – Hire the “Tipsy Truck” and bar staff, fill her up with your drinks, accompaniments, etc… and we’ll do the rest! Or we can source the drink supplies for you, a small fee will be charged to cover this additional service.

Complimentary bar – We will serve your guests up to the arranged limit, once it’s gone, you can either top up the amount or we will revert to a cash bar where guests buy their own.

The couple have a wealth of contacts from the industry, from chefs to mixologists, wine experts to BBQ Kings (or Queens!), whatever you need, we can source it for you!

Additional services.
Glass hire
Arrival drinks for wedding receptions, etc…
Canape service
Food caterers sourced
Additional staff for your event.
Indoor “Pop-up-Bar” new for summer 2020!
Nothing is impossible………….

Their recent Christmas events have been amazing, “We have made some amazing trader friends and met some fantastic people along the way, plus a huge variety of dogs, so we are always on hand with a bowl of water and bucket full of doggy treats!” Their own special recipe for “Mulled Gin” was warmly received, with a choice of flavours, they can even “pimp” up your winter warmer to and kept the Christmas shoppers in the festive spirit. Rachel also developed the Tipsy “Gin-Secco” which has been very popular at their events.

So, what’s new for 2020! “We are gearing up to move into the wedding trade, we have already had interest from Marquee and Tipi wedding companies around the North West and will be involved with a local company with their marketing campaign, so that will be exciting”.
“We feel Hilda will be a fabulous addition to any wedding day, she can be decorated in the brides and grooms colour scheme, we can have arrival drinks and canapes, full bar option and we can even make up a drinks menu of all the happy couples favourite drinks, nothing is too much trouble for us to make their day that little bit more special.

We have plans for an indoor “Pop-up–Bar” option, this will mean that we can bring all our service indoors for smaller events or customers who are unable to have Hilda at their event. It will be the same service, same quality drinks, but all indoors, so the weather will have no effect on the event or special occasion. We can even place the bar under cover outdoors, this way we can supply a bar for any situation, occasion and event to our customers needs”.

They are also looking to expand to another horsebox bar, “We haven’t yet decided on the service we will provide yet, but I’m sure it will be fantastic and we can’t wait for what the future holds for the Tipsy Truck Co!”
If you would like “Hilda” to attend your event, help you to plan your big day and bring a little “Hilda magic” to your special occasion, then give us a call and we can create a bespoke package for you.

“We look forward to joining you on your special day or at your fabulous event!”
Martin & Rachel Houghton
The Tipsy Truck Co
Clitheroe
Lancashire
07368692633/07590477626
enquiries@tipsytruck.co.uk
www.tipsytruck.co.uk
Facebook – The Tipsy Truck Company
Instagram – tipsytruckco (#tipsytruck)
Twitter – @TruckTipsy

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Thinking about marrying abroad but worried that your grandparents won’t be able to make it? Perhaps your close friends and family can’t afford an overseas holiday or maybe you’d rather just get away on your own. Weigh up your options here with our list of pros and cons to help you decide.
The biggest issue with getting married abroad tends to be that not everyone on your guest list will be able to make it. So if your grandmother has always dreamed of being at your wedding but is unable to travel, don’t be surprised if she seems upset when you drop the bombshell that you’ve decided to get married abroad. Do reassure anyone who can’t make it that you’ll have a second reception when you’re back in the UK.

Pros
You’ll be able to take your vows in the open air and celebrate your special day in an exotic or unusual location, with different food, flowers and music to complement your wedding.


Getting married abroad can often be less expensive than the average British wedding. Many couples buy their own tickets and, while the bride’s family may pay for the wedding package, it’s acceptable for guests to pay their own way.

You can invite just a small handful of family and friends to the wedding, so you’re only with people that you really want to celebrate with. It’s the ideal excuse for not inviting your 20 odd cousins and all their children.

Alternatively, you can jet off alone and get married in a romantic, private ceremony, just the two of you. If you book through a travel operator, they’ll do practically all the organising, leaving you plenty of time for dress shopping and planning your honeymoon!

If you’d rather be totally involved in the planning process, you can opt for a tailor-made wedding.

Cons
Friends and family might not be able to afford to travel abroad, or be able take the time to go further afield. You might upset people who’ve been left off your list – but you may be able to ease some disappointment by having a big bash when you get home. You won’t have as much control over the organising as you would at home.

You might end up regretting not inviting family members if you jet off alone. If it’s just the two of you, you’ll need to rope in a stranger to act as witness. Although your wedding abroad may work out cheaper initially, if you put on a second reception in the UK for all those who couldn’t make it, you can end up paying as much or more than you would have done if you’d married in the UK in the first place!

Even if you head for tropical climes, you can’t guarantee sunny weather. And remember, unless you head off for a second week somewhere else, you might be stuck on honeymoon with your friends and family!

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Getting married isn’t just about going on honeymoon, but it sure is an exciting plus to the whole shebang! But how do you go about milking the special occasion for all its worth? Everyone loves an upgrade and if you can’t get one when you’re going on your honeymoon then when can you? It’s the perfect opportunity to be pampered and spoiled, especially after all the stress of the wedding planning is over.

Calling first class!
There are so many moments where you might be able to wangle an upgrade when you go on honeymoon. The first is the flight. This is a lot easier to accomplish if you haven’t booked a package deal through a high street travel agency. If you’ve booked flights and accommodation separately then turning up at the airport in your finest clobber, rather than like a scruff bag (albeit a very comfy one), is a great way to find yourself boosted up to First or Business class. This is an important fact to consider as the area you want to be moved into is usually full of very well-heeled people. The next step is to arrive at the airport early. This gives you the best opportunity of nabbing any last-minute upgrades.

Don’t forget to check again when you reach the gate in case an upgrade has become available since you checked-in. Another hot tip for making it more likely to receive an upgrade is to fly on a Saturday as this is when business travellers are usually at home, meaning you have less competition.

Tell the world you’re here for your honeymoon
Once you’ve made it to your honeymoon destination the next step towards getting an upgrade is to tell everyone that you’re on your honeymoon! It’s important to do this at the right time though. Telling businesses that you’re going on your honeymoon when you make the booking tends to hike the prices up. So, you’re better off waiting until you hit the runway to mention that you’re newly-weds on honeymoon. If you’re staying in a hotel then mention at check-in that you’re on your honeymoon and ask if there are any honeymoon suites available for you to upgrade to or if there is anything they can do for you to help make your honeymoon more memorable.
Then as you go about making your precious memories whilst you are away, you need to keep speaking up.

Tell everyone you meet that you’re there on your honeymoon. You never know, it might lead to a couple of free glasses of champagne over dinner at any of the restaurants you might visit! The same can be said for any activities, excursions or day trips that you intend to do whilst you’re away.

Live like an A-lister
Of course, before you even get to this stage you need to decide on where to go! If you’re at a loss for ideas, other than knowing that you want the A-list treatment, then take a leaf out of @RocknRollBride’s book. She says that ‘If you’re looking to really go all out on your honeymoon, to have a once in a lifetime experience and to truly live it up like a rock star, then the Maldives has to be top of your list.’

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Finding the perfect venue is likely to be at the top of any newly engaged couples list. With the venue playing a vital role in the success of your day it’s the big decision you really need to get right. Just like viewing a new property it is easy to become overexcited and fall in love with a place without checking the venue can cater to your requirements, so hitched.co.uk are here to answer that question – how to choose a wedding venue?

Wait until you get the feeling Much like finding your dress, the shoes, a new home, it is true that when you view venues you will know if it is right for you. You need to be able to picture yourself there on the day and ensure the style of the building both exterior and interior will work with the theme of your wedding. Finding the right venue in our opinion is the most important factor, once you fall in love with somewhere before rushing in to anything at the very least check the following match your criteria: Is it the right location?

Where will your guests be coming from? If they are not local, choosing a venue that is easily accessible, has accommodation on site or hotels in close proximity is desirable. If you have guests coming from abroad how far is the closest international airport? These factors may play a role in your decision making.

Is the capacity right for you?
Think about whether you need a large capacity wedding venue or a smaller and more intimate wedding venue. The size of the venue is just as important, too small for your number of guests and the room will feel stuffy and overcrowded, too big and guests will feel lost and the space will feel cold. When a space is empty it is hard to imagine how it will look when filled with tables. For this reason we would always advise viewing a venue when it is set up for a wedding. If this is not possible ask to see photographs, most venues should have a photo book or slide-show. Another tip is to ask for a seating plan of the room at capacity, this will give you a good idea of how much space there is and how comfortably your guests numbers will fit.

Ask about the flow of the day
Make sure the venue representative talks you through how a typical day runs. The flow of the day is crucial, any long pauses or delays and your guests will become bored. If your ceremony and reception is in the same room how long does the turnaround take, where will the guests be and what will they be doing?

This is also relevant between the reception meal and the evening dancing. The weather in the UK can be unpredictable to say the least! If it does rain does the venue have indoor space for the reception drinks? Do they provide a master of ceremonies/manager? This takes the stress off you and is the best way to make sure all your guests are where they are meant to be at all times. 

Check the timings 
Planning the time of your ceremony is a big decision; when do the venue advise? In our experience weddings of 8-9 hours work well, any longer than this and the atmosphere dwindles towards the end, you want your wedding to end on a high! Also bear in mind where the majority of people will be coming from on the day, leave plenty of time for people to get ready and arrive. Also ask, what set up time is included in the hire fee, when will your suppliers have access to the room and when do things need to be collected?

Think about the lighting. Lighting plays an important part in any event, if your ceremony is during the day does the room have lots of natural daylight? During the evening do they provide/ let you bring in candles? Cameras will be a big part of your day so practise your smiles! Bearing this in mind what is the surrounding area around your venue like? Where will your photographs be? If you are looking at a central town hall where will you take outdoor photographs?

The view from the venue and any outdoor space is also a massive plus not only for photographs but for your guests enjoyment. Does the venue have grounds or ample outdoor space – this is useful if you have children attending and for guests to stretch their legs for ten minutes after the reception meal. Check the finer details. At the venue viewing stage you will not know every detail of your day however you must ask the venue what is not permitted…. If you envisage a romantic candlelit winter ceremony check the venue permits candles!

If you are having your ceremony at the same venue can you throw confetti? Finding these details out early in the planning stage before you book is essential, you are likely to have an idea of what your day will be like and the venue needs to be able to live up to this, for this reason write a list of…..
Make a list of your non-negotiable’s
Before viewing any venues sit down with your partner and discuss any non-negotiable’s these could include: Budget – will the venue be able to provide everything you need within your budget, is VAT included in the price, are staff gratuities added and if so are they optional? Catering – What type of cuisine would you like? Can the venue provide this?

Suppliers – do you have artistic friends that want to bake the cake or take the photographs? If so check the venue will permit this or do you need to use their recommended suppliers? Live music – if you would like a band does the venue permit this? If you would like a string quartet during reception drinks do the venue allow music outside? Fireworks, sparklers, flame eaters etc. – if you have any different entertainment ideas check your venue will allow it.

Finding your venue will be one of the big milestones in your wedding planning and will determine your date, location and therefore will impact a lot of your other wedding planning decisions. You may even want to consider finding a wedding dress that perfectly suits your venue.