Archive: Nov 2016

Taken from Daily Record WORKING as an air hostess in the Caribbean, Alison Simpson would frequently dine at bus restaurants and knew the idea would take off in Scotland. She was charmed by the quirky venture, with old vehicles being converted into cafes and diners for tourists to enjoy. But when her son Bradley was…

taken from stv Alison Simpson is finally about to jump about her touring bus cafe after years of planning. Many years before she became a mother Alison Simpson sat on a bus on a Caribbean island her head whirling with possibility. A dedicated member of a British Airways flight crew, she worked what was known as “the beach fleet” flying passengers from damp Scotland to sunnier, coconut clad tropics. There, she discovered the ‘bus restaurants’ – quirky dining ventures with old vehicles being converted into static cafes and diners for the curious tourist to enjoy. Alison was charmed and her brain was hooked. She wanted a bus too, she thought, but how much better would it be if the bus actually moved? A few years later she had her son Bradley, a fantastic young boy whose autism required her full…

Taken from The Edinburgh Reporter From this weekend the owner of a 1966 Routemaster will offer passengers afternoon tea or a gourmet burger tour when they step aboard. Alison Simpson wants to capitalise on the Scottish reputation for quality food and drink. She says that £1 in every £5  spent by tourists is spent on food and drink during their visit. She now aims to capture the domestic and overseas markets with a tour of the city in twelve different languages and the very best of Scottish produce on the way. The Red Bus Bistro will be fully staffed by a friendly smartly dressed crew who will wear Blackwatch tartan uniforms, and all equipped with local insights into the city’s many attractions. There will be Free Wifi on board so that guests can download the Red Bus Bistro Tour App…