Wigan woman transforms horse box into mobile prosecco bar

Rachael Buckley pictured with The Bubbly Box which is being launched at her Billinge home. It is a converted horse box from which they now sell Prosecco and Champagne NB The Bubbly Box couldn't be moved and husband didn't want to be on the pictures

Rachael Buckley, 35. is currently working day-and-night to make “The Bubbly Box” a roaring success after deciding to open her own mobile bar “pretty much on a whim”.

The Edge Hill University employee works full time as a Post-Graduate careers advisor when she is not heading up her new enterprise.

Rachael spent £5,000 on a horse box from the 1980s and in less than six months, is now on the road selling Prosecco and Champagne at a range of events across the north west.

She has called in a helping hand from her partner of 10 years and husband of two - Gareth, 35, who she said has been the “dogsbody” of the operation who she could not have done it without.

“We are really enjoying it,” she said. “It’s not something we thought very long and hard about. It was a bit of a whim.

“My tipple of choice is always Prosecco or some kind of fizz and they do say a business should be something that you love.

“The next thing I knew I had bought a horse box. We didn’t even have a car that could tow it.”

Rachael, who has a lot of experience working in events in her current role, said due to her events knowledge and Gareth’s hands-on experience as an engineer they make the “perfect team”.

“We have been working on it until 11 o’clock every night after work and then at the weekends,” she said.

“My sisters have been great. One of them works in a bar so she has been good with that aspect.”

So impressive is Rachael’s determination, that the budding businesswoman has won an award for being a “kick ass woman” from Astral Face Cream. “I was nominated for inspiring young women,” she said. “I was thinking, really? Me?”

The family team has already experienced success, attending a Ukelele festival in the Wirral which earned them a BBC Radio 2 mention, as well as securing some “exciting” spots at other music events including Proms in the Park at Cheshire’s Bolesworth Castle starring Russell Watson.

Rachael has also ensured that Bubbly Box will make an appearance at a celebrity make-up event, which will feature former glamour model Katie Price.

“We have a real mixture of food and drink festivals coming up,” she added. “Prosecco is becomingly increasingly popular. England is the biggest consumer- long may that continue. It’s been a whirlwhind, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.”