Meet Olivia Hyam, founder of the Bohemian Bus Cafe, based in Furness Vale. Here Olivia tells us how she transformed her business during the challenges of Covid 19 with her clever diversification and support from the Peak District community.

About the Business

After operating a successful street food business, Que Delícia, since 2015, I was always on the lookout for opportunities to expand. I accidentally bought the bus in 2019 in an online auction (they’re legally binding, apparently) so got busy booking in for festivals in 2020. When Covid hit, I realised that festivals were not happening for a while and that I needed to start paying off the bus so began googling ‘how to operate a restaurant’ and looking for a spot to pitch up at. We initially opened up in Disley and have recently moved to Furness Vale Business Centre which is an absolute dream come true – it’s perfect! We now have loads of outdoor seating, an actual toilet instead of a portaloo, and it truly is the most beautiful spot with incredible views of the nearby countryside.

We have a lot of loyal customers who have followed us since 2020 and we attract cyclists and walkers as we are in a top area for outdoor activities. Our ethos is that everyone is welcome so we also get all sorts of visitors including families, dogs, tourists, canal boaters, and working-from-homers for the wifi.

Our USP is our top notch coffee and that we cook pretty much everything from scratch or get it supplied by local, independent businesses. We also try to grow and forage wherever possible and are setting up a little herb garden in the spring as we absolutely fly through fresh herbs!

Key Achievements

Since relocating to the Peak District, the sense of community has enveloped the bus and we have an incredible customer base now during the week which we struggled with before. As the word spreads about our reopening, we now get at least one group of walkers or cyclists visiting per day and, thanks to the power of word-of-mouth, this community continues to grow daily.

After a very difficult 18 months in hospitality, it truly does feel as though that saying “Location, location, location” couldn’t be more apt!

What is it like to do business in the Peak District?

Since moving to the Peaks with my small independent café, the support from the local community has been immeasurable. There are so many incredible opportunities to get involved with and also by creating new social events. We have recently started the Bohemian Book Club which will be on the last Wednesday of every month, and we plan on organising some cycling and rambling events in the spring time.

The biggest challenge we’ve faced recently is the weather, especially in the run up to Christmas when there was a new storm every week! It’s chilled out a bit now, thankfully, but we are so very grateful for those who aren’t put off by a little 80mph gust.

How does Business Peak District support your ambitions?

Despite being an entrepreneur for all of my adult life, I tend to focus on the creative and practical parts of the business and often neglect the organisation and planning side. It has been incredibly helpful listening to other peoples’ projects and operational styles, as well as local business coaches who are incredibly kind and helpful with their time and in offering advice. It feels as though Business Peak District and everyone involved is genuinely considerate and supportive of local businesses and it feels lovely to be involved in that.

The Future

After a stressful few months relocating the business and transforming it from an evening restaurant into a café, I am now focussed on developing the business and stabilising it with the hopes of taking a step back (and maybe even take a much needed holiday!). I am now exploring channels of marketing to ensure we continue to generate business in the quieter months. BPD have already offered advice about the most effective methods and have already saved me from a potentially very expensive mistake! This professional support and guidance has been invaluable and just the opportunity to be a part of this network feels wonderfully reassuring.

Also featured on page 44 of Business Network Magazine (March 2024 edition). Click here to read issue.