Caseys Coffee pitches up at Rawcliffe park & ride site, York

'Ethel', a mobile unit operated by Caseys Coffee, will be at Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride on an initial three-month trial.

It is the first time First Bus York has agreed a commercial venture at a park & ride site but the bus operator is now exploring other businesses opportunities.

Caseys Coffee operates mobile units in the city and surrounding area, including Eric - a converted Aixam Mega Van, pictured below.

The business is run by husband and wife duo, Clare and Matthew Casey who sell home-made cakes and bakes, including gluten-free options, as well as coffees, Belgium hot chocolate, milkshakes and ‘freakshakes’ - a milkshake with cream, marshmallows, a doughnut, chocolate, sweets and sauce.

Clare said: “It’s fantastic to get this opportunity and we’re confident passengers will like the idea of getting some home-made refreshment before or after their journey into the city centre.

“We are starting with Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at Rawcliffe Bar as August is fully booked for weekend events.”

Ross Johnstone, commercial development manager for First Bus York, said: “We are considering a number of other ideas to bring services and business opportunities to the park & ride network and we’re delighted to begin with Caseys Coffee, which we believe will complement the travel experience for our customers.”

Bus users will be treated to a novel way of getting served. ‘Ethel’ has a unique pulley system to deliver orders on a miniature version of the unit as a trolley.

“We have started getting a model of the electric bus done, but it’s still a prototype and needs spraying to match the blue and the copper Y so not quite finished yet,” Clare added.

Clare and Matthew have also expanded the product range for Rawcliffe with the addition of a continental breakfast offer with home-baked French and Danish pastries alongside their range of brownies and gluten-free flapjacks.

Caseys Coffee came third in a public vote in May as part of the York Restart Fund set up by First Bus York to provide a financial boost to small, independent businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in their recovery from the pandemic.