A converted double-decker bus that wowed TV viewers on George Clarke's Amazing Spaces is up for sale. The "tiny home on wheels" is being offered for £35,000 - and could represent the perfect opportunity to avoid fast-increasing house bills.
The vintage bright blue double-decker bus, named Betty, featured on Channel 4's Amazing Spaces in 2016, showcasing its impressive transformation. Ellie Banner-Ball, 36, from Exeter, has owned the 1977 Bristol VR Series Two for six years.
It can sleep up to four people and the open plan accommodation has been built within the existing chassis and shell of the bus. Some of the original features have been lovingly restored and re-purposed - the bus stop buttons are have been transformed into light switches and the bus driver’s luggage hold is now a helpful storage space in the kitchen.
The front seats on the top deck have been converted into a study and dressing room area, a bedroom with a kingsize bed - and there is even a bath on board. Ellie has fitted the bus with a fully equipped kitchen that she says is "better quality than the one [she] has at home" - with a hob oven, fridge-freezer, double stainless steel sink and wardrobe storage.
There is also a living room, featuring an old-style log-burning stove and seating area with a removable dining table that can fit eight to 12 people. The only slight drawback is the lack of a toilet - so the new owner would have to consider a compost loo outside or possibly converting the driving area.
Ellie said: "With more people working from home, she could be used by someone as extra office space or a just a fun space in someone's garden for friends to stay in. Or someone may want to make some extra income renting her out as a holiday let.
"She also already looks like a wedding bus, so I also hoped a hotel may want her as extra bijou glamping accommodation. I would really like her to go on to a good home."
Betty - named after Ellie's friend's daughter - has been kept as a stationary bus home since 2018 and has had two years as a holiday let since April 2020. Ellie, who works in communications at the fire and rescue service and volunteers as counsellor at a charity, bought the bus six years ago.
"I was living in West London at the time but I really wanted to get out to the countryside," she said. "My friend invited me to Devon and I stayed in her Shepherd’s hut in a field. This was my first experience of Devon.
"I loved the countryside, the fresh air and sleeping under the stars - it felt so liberating. Living in a ‘tiny home’ really appealed to me.
"It’s a change of mindset, rather than accumulating more stuff. It’s about living with less, getting back to basics and just having what you need."
Ellie describes her bus, located on private land near Ashburton, Devon, as "a mini two-storey house on wheels". She added: "This bus is a tiny home on wheels and gave me a sense of adventure.
"I wanted to get away from a computer and do something practical and creative and build something with my own hands and learn some new skills. George Clarke called Betty a ‘palace’ because its done up to a high standard with all the mod cons you’d expect in a house.
"It’s all open plan so it feels very spacious. The best thing about her is the bath tub upstairs and the light that comes in through the windows showing off the fantastic views of the countryside."
The purchase and renovation of Betty cost £35,000. Emma Stoner, a photographer who captured shots of Betty the bus, has known Ellie for several years and said: "Ellie is not living off-grid but she is living an alternative lifestyle.
"She could be described as a ‘digital nomad’ who has taken advantage of the freelance lifestyle and chosen to do things differently. It's a beautiful home and Ellie has done a wonderful job."
Ellie said: "There’s something magical about stepping onto Betty. It’s like something out of a childhood storybook.
"I used to love running up the stairs to grab the front seat of buses in my childhood. I wanted to make the most of being close to nature, I can spend many magical hours go by watching the deer and birds outside."
Email Ellie at elliebannerball@gmail.com for further information.
