On the buses . . . for a luxury restaurant experience

A new restaurant is preparing to open its doors in the Midlands – on the top floor of a double decker bus.

The Black Country Belle is the brainchild of Richard James, the former Hilton Hotel chef behind the famous Black Country Beer Bus tours. It will be launched in Stourbridge tomorrow.

Click on the image to the right for photos of the bus

Complete with pink button-back sofa, matching pelmet and carpet, wall lights and carver chairs the new restaurant is now preparing to welcome its first customers on board.

Members of the Campaign for Real Ale will board the bus in Stourbridge tomorrow, where they will be invited to tuck into a traditional Black Country meal of faggots and peas, and sample some of the real ales produced by Craddock's microbrewery at the town's Duke of Wellington pub.

Mr James has spent £25,000 converting the bus into a luxury mobile restaurant, which will be equipped with a large screen television and DVD player.

He believes the new luxury mobile restaurant will prove a hit with businesses and groups wanting a unique dining experience for corporate functions, but also believes it could be popular for dinner parties to celebrate events such as birthdays and wedding anniversaries.

Richard, who launched his Black Country Beer Bus tours in 1984, said: "We have tried to create the atmosphere of the old LMS dining cars, a feeling of luxury from a bygone era.

"Customers will be able to have anything from faggots and peas to beef bourguignon. I have a number of top chefs who would be able to provide a fine dining experience for those who want it."

Richard, 60, said he expected many of his customers to be small and medium-sized businesses in the Black Country who want to entertain visitors from outside the region.

"They won't have the facilities to entertain on their premises, so we can come to them and put something on," he said. "Our intention also is to visit good food festivals, exhibitions, and beer festivals, where people can come and see what the Black Country has to offer."

He also hopes it will present an opportunity for young up-and-coming chefs.