Meet Betsy the camper van. A photo booth with a difference. The original photo booths on the party scene were basically boxes. Much like the old Woolworths or Post Office booths where you would go for a passport photo. Indeed some of the first models used inkjet printers, so not only were they slow. but you would have to wait for the ink to dry.
As things progressed they started to use dye sublimation printers. These used rolls of paper matched to rolls of ink, the paper would be run through the print mechanism four times. Cyan, Magenta and blue would be overlaid on the paper to form the image, then a clear laminate film sealed over the top. The prints were not only quick, but instantly dry and water proof.
The booths themselves though tended not to change much, still being basically boxes. Then quirky booths began to appear. Booths in London taxi cabs, classic mini’s, a telephone booth, even a Del Boy Trotter van had a booth in.
Mini Camper Booth
We had booths installed in all of the above. We were always on the lookout for something different we could stick a booth in. Looking around different vehicles we came across a mini camper van. It looked like a VW camper that had been shrunk. So we investigated. It turned out to actually be a Subaru Sambar. It was one of a special range of vehicles sold in Japan called Kei cars. These had to be no more than 3.4 metres in length with an engine no bigger than 660cc.
Our particular model was actually a high spec version. It had the 660cc supercharged engine, along with four wheel drive and an interior that allowed the front seats to swivel around and face the rear seats. Along with two sunroofs.
The car in its basic guise looked nothing like a camper. However the Japanese seem to have an obsession with VW campers. This led to numerous firms converting them with fibreglass panels to look like the VW T2 campers.
The main change is the addition of a large VW front grill, along with side panels and stainless steel bumpers. A close look will rapidly reveal it isn’t a genuine VW, but it is surprising how often people will ask if we had a VW specially shortened.
camper crazy photo booth hire
Ours was a blue and white colour when it arrived. We had it resprayed pearl white and candy apple red. Along with a new leather interior in red and white and an internal respray of all the panels.
Camper Interior
For festival themed jobs we added a roof mounted surf board to dispense the prints, a music system playing Beach Boys songs and tiki themed dress up accessories.
Chauvet Mini Camper Booth-300×169-1
Betsy The Camper is definitely a perfect match for festival themed weddings and events.
Jacket spuds, baked taters, call them what you will. Definitely one of our favourite catering options. Especially as in the current quest for healthier options these are quite easy to use. We take a look at some of our most popular jacket potato filling, as well as some others available throughout the world.
1 Beans and Cheese
This one is oh so simple, and oh so delicious. Heinz beans of course with a nice mature cheddar. Not high on the excitement stakes, but easily our most requested filling. Unless we are dealing with Eastern Europeans. It seems that this isn’t a natural combination for them. And we have heard that the Yanks don’t go a bundle for it either, but looking at their cuisine we aren’t too upset by that.
2 Chilli Con Carne
Our MD’s favourite. Ground beef chilli, with plenty of peppers topped with avocado, sour cream and chives. Almost as popular with our clients, again excluding the Eastern Europeans who are worried by the word chilli, they expect it to blow your head off.
3 Tuna And Sweetcorn
Our top rated cold filling. Juicy tuna, sweetcorn all mixed in a mayonnaise base. A pinch of radish for seasoning and a little side salad. Much healthier than the usual burger and chips.
4 Vegetable Curry
This is one that the Eastern European guests actually enjoy. In fact on the recent series of jobs we did where the bulk of the staff were from that part of the world we couldn’t make it fast enough. So now we know their favourite jacket potato filling. Only mild, but with a nice range of veggie ingredients.
5 Chicken Curry
One for the carnivores this time, another fairly mild curry, but with juicy tender chicken pieces. Add a little coleslaw and a side salad and you have a nice balanced meal.
6 Bacon and Cheese
Bacon and cheese, two of our favourite things. What’s not to like. Nice smoked bacon, mature cheddar, mixed up and lightly roasted a second time to melt the cheese. Yum.
7 Prawns
Prawns in a prawn mayo sauce. Another cold topping that it healthy and delicious. Add the obligatory side salad and you have a winner. Unless of course you don’t like prawns.
8 Cottage Cheese And Pineapple
A fusion of tastes here, sweet chunks of pineapple, with lashings of cottage cheese. A milder flavour than our use mature cheddar this one is high in proteins and essential nutrients.
9 World’s Most Expensive Jacket Potato
Not one of ours, though we would be quite happy to add it to your menu if you are happy to pay the premium. This one was created by the chef at the Cary Arms in Babbacombe Devon. Most of the potato is spooned out and replaced with a mixture of creme fraiche, lemon, chives and spring onions topped by Italian Calvisius caviar. Served with balsamic roasted vine tomatoes and a glass of champagne. £40 lets you try this culinary masterpiece.
10 Sweet Jacket Potato With Roast Grape, Goats Cheese and Honey
Again not one of ours, but this in definitely on the list to try at the next event. Sweet potato with a mixture of roast grapes honey and goats cheese.
These are only a sample of what is available. If you are holding an event and require a jacket potato stall we can work with you on a customised menu just for you.
One of our favourite games, which is lately seeing something of a resurgence. Easily playable by both young and old, it has something for everyone. Let’s take a quick look at the history of crazy golf.
The game has various names around the world, including mini golf, midget golf, goofy golf, and putter golf. The last name probably being the most accurate as the game is basically the putting part of its parent game.
Golf proper, has a long history. Mention is made of King James II banning the game as it distracted his archers from their practise. Happily James IV decided to repeal the ban for the good reason that he liked playing the game.
There are ancient examples of a similar game being played as far back as 8th Century China, though no doubt if written history existed there may well as been cavemen who likes whacking stones around with their clubs.
Like many things there isn’t a definite ‘inventor’ of the mini golf game. Our Victorian forebears, with their great fear of mixing the genders, dedicated a putting green annex for female players at the famous St Andrews course.
Artificial courses, with obstacles began to emerge during the first part of the 20th Century. The Illustrated London News documented a course in it’s 8th June 1912 edition, called Gofstacle.
Across The Pond
In America, where else, the first mass produced mini golf courses were designed. The first of note was christened ‘Thistle Du’ anc built in Pinehurst North Carolina in 1916.
1927 saw a huge step forward when Garnet Carter created a suitable artificial green made from sand, oil, dye and cottonseed hulls that had been invented by Thomas Fairbairn, a cotton plant owner.
This allowed the game to be installed anywhere, indeed by the late 20’s there were an estimated 150 roof top courses in New York City alone. With tens of thousands across the States. At one point it’s estimated that 2 million people a day were playing the game. The course designed by Garnet was sold as a starter kit for $4500 (about $75,000 now) for which you received the obstacles, equipment and layout design.
Sadly, like many booming industries, mini golf was virtually wiped out across the States by the great depression.
On The Continent
Across the channel, the first documented course was built by a Herr Schroder in Hamburg, Germany. Being inspired from a course he played on a visit to America.
In fact like many modern trends, the game spread out from the USA. The Norman brothers returned to Sweden from there, and promptly formed the company of Norman och Norman Miniatyrgolf, selling a standardised course across Sweden.
The Swedish Minigolf Federation was founded in 1937 and remains the oldest minigolf organisation in the World, with national championships being played since 1939.
The Americans of course commercialised the game, with the first national competition being held in 1930, with a top prize of $2000 equivalent to around $30,000 today.
Mini Golf Obstacles
By the end of the 30’s the familiar obstacles such as windmills and buildings were being added to the game, making it much more like what we consider crazy golf to be nowadays. Many of these were introduced by Joseph and Robert Taylor, two brothers from New York. Many customers and competitors asked if they would build obstacles for them. In the early 1940’s the brothers formed a company to supply the industry.
Even the U.S. military bought from them. Shipping a number of prefabricated courses overseas during the Korean and Vietnam wars. For the troops to use during rest and relaxation periods.
Surface Material
Courses in Europe and the U.K. tended to use tennis field sand bordered by wooden frames as a playing surface. The Americans used the newly developed felt materiel. Being far superior due to its ability to allow water to pass through. Meaning it could be used in inclement weather.
Towards the end of the 1950’s virtually all suppliers carried Taylor Brothers obstacles making them an industry standard. Throughout the 50’s these had been developed to include obstacles with spinning blades and such that required not only accuracy but split second timing.
Modern Mini Golf
Nowadays the game is governed by the World Minigolf Federation, based in Goteborg Sweden. Organising World Championships for everything from kids through to elite players.
There are a number of standardised courses approved by them allowing comparisons for players around the world. The current world record for one round of 18 hole minigolf is 18 strokes. More than a thousand players achieving this score. It should be noted that virtually all of these are on a playing surface made from eternite a fibre cement product. The more popular felt courses seem to be more difficult to play with far fewer players managing a perfect score.
Some Crazy, Crazy Golf Courses
Ahlgrim Funeral Home
Below a Chicago Funeral home is a course designed to allow mourners to take their minds off bereavement. Along with arcade machines and videogames.
New Brighton Championship Course
This course contains replicas of a number of different famous championship holes from the Island Green 17th at TPC Sawgrass or the 18th at St Andrews.
Glow In The Dark Golf
A course in the Netherlands came up with the wacky idea for a glowing golf course. It also has the added quirk of being an adventure story, as completing the holes give you the clues you need to rescue a kidnapped singer.
Holy Crazy Golf Course
This one not only improves your golf score, but saves your soul. Designed around stories from the bible with holes such as Jonah and whale, or Moses and Mount Sinai. You can visit it at the Lexington Centre in Kentucky U.S.A. (where else).
Mayday Golf
Another wacky themed course. You are a survivor of an airplane crash. You use your rescued golf clubs to put your way through various survival scenarios to reach the rescue helicopter at the end. See it at Myrtle Beach South Carolina.
Leisureland Golf
This entry if from the artist Doug Fishbone. He wanted to draw attention to the plight of migrants, refugees and police brutality. So he pulled together a course of political statements.
The history of crazy golf is littered with examples of weird and wacky golf themes. Really the game is a blank canvas and you can have anything you like.
One of the mainstays for any British funfair is the Waltzer. Indeed so popular is this particular ride that you will struggle to find any but the smallest funfairs without one.
Similar in style to the Noah’s Ark ride, i.e., a platform that rotates at high speed and undulates over a number of hills to give an up and down motion. The difference is the ark originally had various animals to sit on, then evolved to have motorbikes, probably around the time that motorbikes became popular with young people. This led in some places to them becoming more popularly known as speedways. As most early rides were these tended to be ornately decorated.
The waltzer by contrast has tub shaped cars, that are attached by either a slew ring or a pivot point to the platform. As the ride rotated, the riders all sat at one end of the car would unbalance it and it would begin to spin. The attendants on the ride would walk the platform as it rotated spinning the cars by hand to make them faster. With attractive young ladies tending to be spun the most.
Waltzer car
Early History
The very first evidence we have for the ride, is a 1920’s model built by one Dennis Jeffries of Congleton. Posterity records the very first passengers as being his nieces Phyllis and Dolly Booth, nothing like using family as Guinee pigs. A tradition which continues today, a few years back a relative building his own ghost train had put the first car together, but wasn’t sure if the gearing was correct. He put his old dad in as a crash test dummy and set it in motion. The car accelerated along the track like an exocet missile, jumped the rails at the first corner and set off into infinity and beyond. Luckily said dad fell off at this point. No amount of cajoling could convince him to try the mark two car.
Maxwell And Sons
The sadly now defunct Scottish firm of Maxwell and Sons, based in Musselburgh, became perhaps the best known manufacturer of the ride in the UK producing some 59 examples of the ride. Waltzers tended to have ten cars, though as the ark/speedway fell out of fashion a number of these were converted to waltzers so there are both nine and eleven car examples.
H.P. Jacksons
The biggest rival to Maxwells was the Congleton based firm of Jackson’s who produced 29 rides. They kept going a little longer than Maxwells producing their last ride in 1992. (Maxwells were out of business by 1983)
A number of other firms produced waltzers, but only in very small numbers.
Fairtrade Services
Waltzers were always an extremely labour intensive ride to set up and derig. A handful of examples were converted to pack on an artic load to reduce the set up time. A showmen by the name of Robert Porter, who was experienced in refurbishing and repairing waltzers. Took this a step further with a design for a new ride, made from the start to be a more compact travel load and quicker set up.
Under the brand of Fairtrade Services he has now produced 21 examples. They are on track to surpass Jackson’s as the second most prolific manufacturer.
One particularly striking example of a ‘Porter Waltzer’ as they are more commonly referred to, is the example above. Built for the Norwegian firm of Lund’s Tivoli. With Aasmund Lund at the helm, the firm commissioned this ride. With it’s stunning fireball theme, around the back of the ride are numerous led screens that provide a fire effect.
It is unusual that although the ride is one of the most popular in the UK, it is seldom seen on the continent. Raymond Codona Jnr travelled his Hell Raiser waltzer in Holland for a number of seasons. Very successfully, but you find few native examples.
Tilt-A-Whirl
Across the pond Herbert Sellner invented a similar ride called the Tilt-A-Whirl in 1926. Similar in motion to the waltzer this type only has seven cars, but otherwise works in much the same way.
The most noticeable difference, is that the waltzer has a roof and is an enclosed ride. Add in the sound and lighting systems and they are much like a portable nighclub. The tilt a whirl by contrast is an open topped ride. To be honest looks very much like an home made waltzer.
The Waltzers
The waltzer is an enduring icon of the British fairground scene. One change to its detriment is are the current health and safety laws. Waltzers were renowned for having the gangway around the edge of the ride packed with people. It truly was a social event, with many a couple meeting on the waltzers (Kevin Keegan the England football star was one, meeting his wife on Dowses waltzer at Scunthorpe). Sadly young people nowadays aren’t considered responsible enough to stand on he gangway a few feet from the spinning platform so now the ride is closed off whilst it is in motion.
We recently added Gourmet burgers to our line up of catering options. On top of the usual cheeseburger, and bacon etc, we added some options a little more quirky. Things such as nacho’s, sushi and such like. However the burgers listed here are way beyond what we consider quirky and definitely venture inot the weird burgers catagory..
1 The Cronut Burger
A fusion of sweet and savoury this one. A beef patty with cheese, between the cheeks of a sugary doughnut. A Canadian invention, between a pastry shop Le Dolci, and Epic Burger and Waffles for the Canadian National Exhibition. This one looks like it could be tasty, however it didn’t have a happy ending. One of the ingredients sourced for the burger, maple jam, was contaminated with staphylococcus aureus causing 150 people at the show to fall ill. Still looks tasty, but we’d go light on the jam.
2 The Quadruple Bypass Burger
A 9982 calorie bohemoth, even by American standards. Two pound of beef, twenty rashers of bacon, eight cheese slices, a whole tomato and half an onion, in a bum coated with lard.
It is served at the heart attack grill founded in 2005 in Tempe Arizona. Everything they do is along the same theme. With flatliner fries, double and triple bypass burgers for those who can’t face this one, and bigger burgers up to octuple bypass. They even have cigarettes and high fat shakes on the menu. The restaurant has a hospital theme, with doctors taking the order and nurses waiting the tables. Sexily dressed nurses at that. It’s as if someone set out to be as controversial as possible.
3 Yorkshire Pudding Burger
A fusion of traditional Sunday roast with the fast food convenience of a burger. This one is a giant Yorkshire pud with a burger inside. For those who don’t know the Yorkshire pudding isn’t actually a pudding. It is served most often as a constituent of a typical Sunday dinner. However it also works well as a starter with onion gravy. The supersized version here is 5000 calories.
4 Fried Frog Black Burger
No matter how crazy you can think of making something. The Japanese are guaranteed to out crazy you. They make some really weird burgers. This time it is the Orbi Yokohama museum, who offer up this culinary masterpiece. A full fried frog burger. They aren’t content with just the out there filling. They also add in a bun made from bamboo charcoal that is jet black.
5 Russia Rat Burger
Take a look at the burger above, quite innocuous isn’t it? Something you would probably enjoy at many a typical burger joint. Only it isn’t. It’s a rat burger. Well, not your usual Rattus rattus that you don’t want to see anywhere near a restaurant. But a Coypu, or ‘River Rat’. The animal breeds at a super fast rate, making it ideal as a food crop. A case of if you can’t beat them eat them. A specialty of a Russian chef at a high end eterie in Moscow.
6 Wimpy’s Braille Burger
In the days when I was a kid, before the all conquering McDonalds swept the nation. Wimpy was THE burger joint. We spent may a happy time in Wimpy’s around the country. Truth be told, I think their quarterpounders were far better than the McD equivalent.
This burger was part of an experiential marketing campaign to promote it’s new braille menu in South Africa. Reaching over 800,000 blind people across the nation with their braille embossed burgers.
7 Whole Damn Farm Burger
If you are the sort of person who can’t make their mind up over beef or chicken. Then this one is for you. Made from beed, chicken, ham, pork and bacon. About the calorie loading of four big Macs, this is perfect for the indecisive. From Manchester’s Splendid Kitchen, a sadly now defunct American style eatery.
8 Hellfire Burger
This is one hot burger. By hot, we don’t mean as in fashion, or as in very attractive. We mean hot! Measuring over 1 million on the Scoville heat scale. For comparison, some law enforcement pepper sprays can be quite effective at half that.
Topped by six different chillies, and smothered in hot sauce, you not only have to be over 18, but also need to sign a medical waiver before they will serve it to you. The whole thing is served to you on fire.
A creation of the Xtreme Smokehouse and Grill in Washington Iowa.
9 Southern Comfort Stuffed Burger
Slathered with booze spiked sauce. The Southern Comfort is stuffed with mac and cheese wrapped in bacon, then topped with Southern Heat potato chips. Its the Southern Comfort and Peach infused BBq sauce that gives it the special tang.
A product of the Nook in Atalanta.
10 Waffle Burger
Available from lots of places, this is another fusion of sweet and savoury. Fluffy Belgian waffle goodness, surrounding a beef patty, along with egg and bacon. The perfect breakfast to start the day.
11 Wrapped Pizza Burger
A bacon cheeseburger wrapped in a pepperoni pizza. 1360 calories of succulent burger heaven. This frankenburger was a product of Boston’s Restaurant and Sports Bar. Available at more than 40 US restaurants and it’s Canadian franchise.
Although not the healthiest of burgers it still comes nowhere near the big guys records like the Heart Attack Grill, they are some seriously weird burgers.
12 Arby’s Meat Mountain
Originally created as a poster to advertise the fact that the restaurant sold more than beef. It was soon being requested by it’s customers and ended up being a firm favourite on the menu. Consisting of two chicken burgers, three strips of bacon, a slice of swiss and cheddar cheeses, roast turkey, ham, corned beef, roast beef, brisket and Angus steak.
13 Super Duper Bacon Burger
What can be said about this monstrosity. It’s bacon, served with bacon, topped by bacon, with a bacon garnish. I suppose if you like bacon then this is heaven, if you don’t then you’ve ordered the wrong meal. Michigan’s Tony’s I-75 Restaurant is definitely a destination for pork lovers.
14 Krispy Kreme Triple Cheeseburger
If you are going to mix burgers with a dessert you might as well make it with one of your favourites. Two Krispy Kreme doughnuts, three beef patties and three slices of cheese. Nuff said.
15 The Grilled Cheese Burger
Take a grilled cheese sandwich. well, take two of them in fact. Place your burger between them and you have a whole new class of frankenburger.
Coming from an American chain (where else), Friendly’s on the East coast.
16 Deep Fried Double Twinky Burger
Whilst you can rely on the Japanese to come up with the craziest concoctions. You can rely on the Americans to come up with stuff designed to clog your arteries. Take a pork belly patty, with cheese and bacon and sandwich it between two deep fried twinkies and you have another masterpiece from Philadelphia’s PYT. Which is almost as weird as
17 Spaghetti Burger
This, their spaghetti burger. Slathered in marinara sauce, with a mozzarella stuffed meatball patty, red sauce, parmesan flakes and spaghetti in a garlic butter bun. This looks like a weird burger
18 Beer Batter Burger
From Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Pennsylvania. A battered burger with all the trimmings. Oh and the batter is made with beer for extra taste. Also available from them as a 25lb challenge burger for two.
19 Alphabet Burger
This sandwich contains 26 toppings, each one starting with a different letter of the alphabet.
Avocado
Bacon
Cheese
Doritos
Egg
Fish sticks
Garlic bread
Ham
Italian sausage patty
Jalapeño peppers
Krispy Kreme doughnut
Lettuce
Macaroni and cheese
Noodles
Onion rings
Pepperoni
Queso blanco dip
Ramen noodles
Spinach
Turkey burger
Usingers bratwurst
Veal Parmesan
Waffle
Xylocarp (coconut)
Yams
Zucchini
I don’t know what to say. I am stunned, I know how the prophets felt when they saw the burning bush, or the first pot noodle was invented. The W should stand for weird burgers.
20 Hot Fudge Sundae Burger
I don’t know if it is a symptom of the modern world, this rush to get your meal out of the way as soon as possible. But this is another stomach churning attempt to fuse mains with dessert. Take a perfectly good beef burger and add vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce. Take a bow McGuires Irish Pub of Pensacola.
21 White Trash Burger
Named after the outlets signature dips called white trash. This includes cheese, green chillies, jalapenos, diced tomatoes, diced onions and tortilla chips, with a stack of beer battered onion rings. If you want one then you need to head over to the Bukowski Tavern in boston.
22 Bacon Wrapped Macaroni and Cheese Bun Burger
I’m not sure if this is a burger, or an abstract artwork. Mac and cheese wrapped in strips of bacon and used as the bun for a cheeseburger. Not as outlandish or vomit inducing as some on the this list, I could probably eat this.
23 Slaters Merica Burger
Oh Kay, a third of a pound of ground bacon made into a patty, bacon american cheese, egg, thick cut bacon and bacon island dressing on a bacon pretzel bun. Basically you need to like bacon to eat this one. It was reportedly too salty to finish which is saying something when many a burger on this list has a couple of grams or more of salt without any reports of them being salty.
24 The Mario Burger
A little bit of green dye, some circles of cheese and you have a gamers treat.
25 The Fat Sandwich Burger
This one looks like a complete meal in a bun. I am surprised that they haven’t stuck a doughnut or a dollop of ice cream in to round it off. From the Fat Sandwich Company in Illinois
Candy Floss Crazy Gourmet Burgers
1 Person 2 Burgers 2
Not really part of the list, our burgers are relatively sane. If you want something on the list I am sure our catering team can put it together for you, but if what you want is a range of delicious non heart attack inducing gourmet burgers for your wedding, party or event. Then check out our burger service. Oh and the picture above is actually two burgers, he was a greedy sod.
