The Wonder Bar

This blog has been months in the waiting. A huge shift in circumstances has meant it has been pushed to the bottom of my priority list, amongst the many to-do lists of ‘hunt for job,’ ‘find a house’ and ‘sort out life’. For those of you who don’t know, my most recent employer Gareth, has decided to close the doors of Irie's Caribbean restaurant. A well-loved establishment that fell victim to the bar and restaurant industry and the tough nature of business in Aberystwyth. If you want to read more about the future of Irie himself, head on over to his blog here. After a few days of being utterly terrified that I wouldn't be able to feed myself, I took a walk to the beach and had a chat with my good friend Heather. She was so excited when she realised I’d finally have some time to focus on myself and the things I want to do. Her enthusiasm infected me and I was suddenly so positive. Finally, this is a bit of an opportunity to focus on the right path. A lot of pent up ...

Happy new year! A tad belated, but sincere nonetheless.  So, January through to February has been fairly busy. Juggling my job whilst being a control freak is proving a bit of a challenge. I've tried to sort all of the business side of things before delving into gigs, but now what I need is the business so I can properly get the feel for how everything will work and what’s to be expected for the coming year(s)… Now I’m going to tell you all about what I know you want to hear – the first event! Black House presents: New Year’s Eve Soundclash . What a bitter-sweet start to the year this was... The lead up was an exciting and panic-inducing smorgasbord of emotions: stress, hope, fear, joy, relief and above all gratitude. The event itself was fantastic. The production, as always, was incredible - such a huge effort goes into turning any space into an indoor, festival paradise and it was a pleasure and an honour to be a part of the proceedings for the night. For such a wonderful e...

The image of The Wonder Bar has changed a lot over the last few years, months, even weeks. I've been piecing together what's  inexpensive but of good quality,  practical, sustainable - and what's not! For years I had an image of an old caravan. Gutted of all its furnishings and fitted with booth seating and a few tables. A bar on the front; a bar on the side; a bar on top. Every possible outcome - whichever would most suit at the time. Of course, this is a distant dream as I start out. Whilst the actual wooden bar is being built and I start preparing for events in the summer, I'll be purchasing some kind of gazebo or marquee. Something wind-resistant, durable and of a decent size. Enough for a bar and a couple of old, pub tables & bar stools. Roll out the tarp & some old pub carpet - Your local comes to you!   Before I invest in a decent marquee/gazebo (and any recommendations or advice about some good quality tenting would be greatly appreciated. It wil...

I've been meaning to update this for a while. I took a bit of time off from work due to a recent hospital trip (nothing serious!) and had a bit of a holiday at home with my family and friends in South Wales. I've also been preparing my for The Wonder Bar's debut, which will be a lot sooner than I originally anticipated... Keep an eye out for updates on: Facebook Twitter and  Instagram Now, this is where I reach out - To those of you who have unwittingly been roped into a conversation about this project. Whether it be my ever-supportive family & friends with their constant encouragement or those of you who've left comments and messages with offers to help out in the distant future... Well, the time is here! I'm in the very early stages at the moment: thus far, I have no logo, no brand, no suppliers. I have experience and knowledge in the field, but I'm asking for the advice of others. Right now, I'm looking for networking opportunities! If ...

They say you make your best friends in uni. Living in a student town has provided me with so many close people in my life that may come and go, but always leave a special place in my heart. I've also met a tremendous amount of lovely people through work, most of you reading this, I will have met at a bar on one side or the other! Not to go all soppy, but the supportive and kind words of people from far and wide has been what's pushed me to go on. Realising my crazy business idea might not be so crazy after all!  When I first came to Aberystwyth, there was a legend that the tiny town held the most amount of pubs per square mile. 52 pubs; one for every week of the year. (If anyone has done a recent pub count, please let me know!)  Unfortunately, the pub trade is a dying one and not all of the pubs here are doing that well. Business rates and council tax are inconceivably high. Supermarket deals on booze blow pub prices out of the water and “pre-drinking” is becoming the norm....

Hello! I’m Bethan Trevett. Or Trev to most people who know me. For a while, I’ve had an idea brewing. For a number of years, it has been a business idea that has always played on my mind. Here I am, finally putting my plan out there. This blog is a way to track my progress and keep a record of this idea as it hopefully becomes a reality. In it’s very simplest form (and a lot of research and experiments are under way to fine tune the minor details): The Wonder Bar! A mobile-bar. Suitable for hire at parties, weddings, corporate events. Festivals, local events, markets. Wherever you fancy a bar! (Subject to licensing, of course.) Selling tasty, unusual, locally sourced and home grown products. Beers, cider, wine, spirits, cocktails, mocktails. Refreshing and different. A comfy pub atmosphere decked out with upcycled furniture and handcrafted décor made by talented local craft-wizards! That’s the vision anyway. As I finally put pen to paper  fingers to keyboard, I feel I sh...