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Faversham's South East Coachworks brings the Spice Girls bus back to life for SpiceUp!

10:00, 31 July 2018

updated: 11:01, 31 July 2018

The bus which carried the Spice Girls in their 1997 film Spice World has been given a new lease of life in Kent.

Fans of Ginger, Scary, Sporty, Posh and Baby have been visiting the world's largest exhibition of Spice Girls memorabilia SpiceUp! in London.

The Spice Bus - the famous double decker from the bestselling female group's film - is one of 7,000 items being shown at the exhibition after it was restored by the Faversham business that originally created it.

Steve Lewis, Paul Chapman, Darren Fisher and Dan Chapman from South East Coachworks
Steve Lewis, Paul Chapman, Darren Fisher and Dan Chapman from South East Coachworks

South East Coachworks in Preston Street originally made the Union Jack-clad vehicle for the 1997 film.

It hass been back in Faversham for the last four weeks getting a new lease of life.

The bus, which has been kept on Island Harbour Marina on the Isle of Wight since 2014, had somewhat faded from its original glory.

But a team of five at SEC, including an electrician, carpenter and coach-builder, have given it a full restoration and even built a new interior.

With scenes inside it having originally been shot in studio, this is the first time fans will be able to see Sporty Spice's exercise bike, Baby Spice's playhouse and Posh Spice's catwalk, complete with lights down the side.

The vehicle's floors and windows have also been restored and its inside repainted.

Finally, its upper windows have also been covered in vinyl so that while no one can see inside, passengers can look out, and the cabin area re-upholstered.

The Spice Girls, backstage at the MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in Rotterdam in 1997. Picture: Fiona Hanson/PA
The Spice Girls, backstage at the MTV Europe Music Awards ceremony in Rotterdam in 1997. Picture: Fiona Hanson/PA

SEC's managing director, Paul Chapman, said: "We do get involved in some weird and wonderful things."

"When it turned up here, it had been parked up for quite a long time on the Isle of Wight. I think someone had been using it as a feature of their café.

"It was nice to get it back. Most of the buses we do are quite fun, and a bit different, and this is just another one of those lovely little jobs that we get."

Among the other buses SEC have made are the relay vehicles for the 2012 Olympic Torch, and a 'Peace Bus' for the singer-songwriter Cat Stevens.

The South East Coachworks team with the Spice Bus
The South East Coachworks team with the Spice Bus

"We're probably the biggest in the country to be doing what we do. There's one up in Blackpool, and another in Southampton, but we do everything in house apart from full spray painting and mechanics," he continued.

The bus is now proudly on display at London's Business Design Centre alongside Mel B's leopard print buffalo boots and Geri Halliwell's Union Jack shoes.

It will then move with the rest of SpiceUp! to Manchester and after that, according to Mr Chapman, "there is a plan for it to be out and about, but that's all I can say at the moment".

SpiceUp! is at the Business Design Centre in Angel Islington, London, until Monday, August 20.

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