The Best Laid Schemes...

“We were all geared up to make 2020 a full on year, out and about in Toby.”

- DAVE RICHARDS

Everything that Ian & Susan Howells had spent time planning for the new year came to a shuddering halt following our government’s proclamation in late March. The Coronavirus pandemic has put many people’s lives temporarily on hold, and for a couple whose social life is all about dancing and enjoying the fun of vintage weekends, CORVID is more than a bit of a downer!

As keen exponents of the fine art of the Lindy Hop and members of Gloster Swing Dance, not to mention the intriguingly named Cotteswold Shag dance group. Their idea had been to buy a campervan in which they’d be able to stay over at the weekends, without going to the added expense and complication of hotels or B&Bs. They were also hoping that it would be fun to take their German shepherd dog, Malika as well.

Susan had always dreamt that one day she would own a campervan, but Ian had a slightly different opinion, “I really wasn’t very keen at all, but I soon gave in when we found this bus which turned out to be called Toby. The bodywork looked to be in great condition and the bus had everything we had written down on our list of ‘must haves’. Even the colour was a winner. We thought Toby would be ideal for us and it’s a real head turner. He’d been named by the very young daughter of an earlier owner and the chap we were buying from had continued to use the name. We love it too, so Toby he continues to be”.