A Bristol man who takes customised pop-up bars to weddings and festivals around the country was left gob-smacked after discovering his transit van packed with a gold pop-up bar had been stolen, on the morning of a wedding.
After Brislington barman Lewis Spindlove first sorted out getting a replacement to be able to make the wedding that day, he reported the theft to the police and then to the van’s manufacturer Ford – who were able to track where his wheels and his bar had gone.
And they discovered that it had already gone 150 miles away to Nottingham – so police in the east Midlands were alerted, and followed the electronic tracker inside, and were able to retrieve the van – with the bar and all the drinks still inside.
The heart-dropping moment left Lewis grateful that his van had an in-built tracking device, and he’s now recommending all van owners and tradespeople get one fitted – because he’s proof they work. Lewis’ mobile bar business is called The Bartender. He has three full-time employees and a big team of freelancers. After the theft, he was able to get his van back pretty quickly, and after getting the locks and other damage repaired, he was back on the road in just a fortnight.
“The bride and groom had ordered a bespoke bar complete with gold mirrors and bar tops,” he said. “It absolutely looked the business, but when I came to drive to the venue the van was gone,” he added.
“I was so relieved that my Transit has a built-in tracker that played a key role in me getting my van back,” he added.
The wedding went off without a hitch because Lewis was able to source a replacement at short notice, but he feared his main transport, and the £15,000 bar and stock, was gone forever. But his van had been fitted with Ford Pro Telematics, which showed police where to find it.
The Bartender team has now beefed up its security and extra locks and defences, and added the ability to be alerted if the van starts moving outside certain times of the day.
“We want Lewis, and all our van customers, to have complete confidence in their vehicles’ security,” said Hans Schep, Ford Pro’s general manager. “But, if the worst happens, we’re happy to be here to support the hardworking people who drive our communities and economies.”