A Kenilworth couple has launched its own mobile coffee shop in the back of a converted Land Rover Defender.

Helena O'Reilly and her partner Alex Selby took 'Boxy Coffee' on its first outing at Compton Verney Triathlon at the end of July after spending nearly half of 2022 converting the old offroader into a bespoke moveable cafe.

Having left her cabin crew job at British Airways during the pandemic, Helena said she wanted to continue to work in hospitality but put her own stamp on things.

"I have always loved hospitality and that work environment," she told Nub News.

"I had been working in coffee shops around Kenilworth and Warwick while I figured out what I wanted to do next. 

"And then I thought I'd like to take the concept and make it my own."

It took Helena and Alex half of 2022 to convert the Defender into a coffee truck (image supplied)

Having originally considered converting a horse box into the mobile coffee shop, she decided to take on the old 4x4 instead.

From Birmingham originally, Helena used to live near the Land Rover factory and said her grandfather also worked there, so Boxy is "bringing some personal history and some of Birmingham to the area".

And having found the vehicle, which had been modified extensively already, the couple have completed the conversion in their spare time over the past few months.

The rear benches have all been removed, and the back blocked off and tiled, with a coffee machine installed to create the fully self-sufficient cafe.

Following from their first booking in July, Boxy was at the Garden Bar at the Pavilion this August, and Helena said both events were a success.

Boxy has now been on its first two outings (image supplied)

"They were both really good," she said. 

"Obviously it is very nerve-wracking setting up a business, you have your doubts but they were really good and we were really happy about it."

As well as serving coffee from Bristol-based supplier Oddkin Coffee, Boxy also stocks fresh cakes and pastries from Leelebek's Bakes in Warwick.

Helena said supporting other small enterprises was something she wanted to make fundamental to her new business.

"We wanted to support small businesses and keep it personal," she said. 

"We really liked Oddkins, we liked what they offered and we just want to connect with people who are similar to us so that's why we went with them."

Boxy also stocks fresh cakes and pastries from Leelebek's Bakes in Warwick (image supplied)

She added: "We want to incorporate more small businesses where we can. 

"We are going to get honey from a local allotment and flowers from a small business I know. 

"We will try and sell a bit of retail on the side to help people out as well."

To find out more about Boxy Coffee, follow this link to the Instagram page.