Evergreen cabin is built from recycled shipping containers, the build appears on season 12 of Georges Clarkes amazing spaces, episode 1, ch 4.
‘Playing it by ear’ a book about the build is out now. The Big Green Bus was a conversion project that I undertook 2 years ago, it's quite simply a massive recycling exercise, and as a qualified carpenter I carried out the work myself. ,
The British built
MCW 1982 metro bus had been in service in Coventry all its life, and had spent the last few years before I bought it as a school bus in Birmingham. With 689,000 miles on the clock, it had travelled the equivalent distance from earth to the moon, back, and then halfway to the moon again! The Big Green Bus narrowly escaped destruction as it was destined for the scrap heap when I bought it, but now, with a mixture of up-cycled furniture, bright retro splashes of colour and original bus features, plus a starring role in George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces on Channel 4, it is now enjoying a leisurely retirement in Sussex. All thoroughly modern, sporting chrome LED lights, Farrow & Ball paint, even charging sockets for your iPhone. The log burner downstairs, along with extensive insulation ensures that the whole bus is warm and toasty. I installed a modern boiler which supply's constant hot water. The buses has two showers, one inside, and one outside the bus! Upstairs there are 2 double beds, and 2 single sleeping pods. The whole concept behind the bus was to create a space where people could holiday in beautiful countryside, enjoy nature and the peace and quite it offers. Amplified music is not allowed when people stay, and there's not a TV on-board either, instead people are encouraged to read, play board games and enjoy the surrounding area, and have a holiday/break where they feel that they have truly recharged there batteries. Guests would normally arrive by car, but tend to leave it parked, and either walk to local places of interest, or stay onsite for the duration of their holiday. I'm passionate about the bus being a conduit for supporting local business. I buy my fuel logs and coal locally and employ local staff for cleaning and laundry, the guest information folder on-board has all the local attractions and pubs that the guests can visit. The village shop in Laughton seems a favorite with guests, where fresh bread and provisions are readily available. The Six Bells pub in Chidingly is also popular as it's only a 20 minute walk away, proving a popular dinner destination for many bus guests. I also feel it's important that all the rubbish/waste is recycled, as the main ethos of the bus, and the whole holiday experience is to encourage a respect for, and an enjoyment of the surrounding countryside. The Big Green Bus can sleep 6 people, and is booked mostly by couples or families. Guests tend to book anything between 2 and 4 nights, the summer months being the busiest. Based on last years booking average, I anticipate some 240 booked nights (out of 365) next season. There is a comments book on board, these are just a few of the lovely comments left by guests in 2014.
“What a fantastic break! we came for my eldest son’s birthday (5), He is autistic and busses are his special interest so this was a god send! Usually family time away is stressful and difficult, but as he loved the bus so much it was a dream, this means so much to my family, we will come back next year!! “ Vikki, Tim, Robert and Toby.
“ This place is totally AMAZING!!! me and my brother Tai are having the best time ever! sadly we have to go tomorrow, I don't want to go because this place is just incredible!! I’m from wales and there’s nothing like this there!! Thank you for letting us stay, And thank you for the lovely home made brownies you left out for us when we arrived” Nel (age 11)and Tai (age 9)
“ We’ve really enjoyed our stay on your bus Adam, The brownies with a cup of tea on arrival made us forget about the terrible traffic jams we had sat in for hours on the M25 on the way here. We took a trip over to the six bells and had a lovely meal, we visited the town of lewes and found an amazing cheese shop,‘cheese please’ where we purchased several local cheeses to have with the prosecco you provided, thank you. We’ve seen a woodpecker, heard owls and seen foxes and deer! Thanks again for providing such a unique place to stay and making our bank holiday break certainly one to remember.” Sue and Ted from Kelvendon Essex.
“What a unique and fun way to celebrate my 30th birthday.A great way to get out of the city for a few days. The bus is genius, very well thought out, down to the very last bit, We will return!!’ Rosie and ella.
“ One word...AMAZING!!!! I have purposefully left our bus driver hat here for future bus goers photo opportunities!! we will definitely be advertising this trip to the folk back home in Guernsey!!” Anna and Ali Channel Islands
