Kitty Ebdon, Crafty Arty Parties
Business vans: Mercedes Sprinters and Vitos
Finance method: Outright purchase and bank loan
Kitty Ebdon set up Crafty Arty Parties five years ago to run themed parties for top clients.
These include Harrods and major film companies. Recent assignments have included launch parties for smash-hit movies including Harry Potter and Shrek.
“We’ve concentrated on targeting the corporate sector,” says Kitty. “It’s a huge market that just keeps on growing. We’ve grown along with it.”
And because she wants to put across an up-market image, Kitty has settled on Mercedes vans to move the staff and the party gear around. “We deal with the top end of the market so first impressions are absolutely essential,” says Kitty.
A good experience with a Mercedes Vito 111CDI Dualiner, bought three years ago, has led to the purchase of a new Mercedes Sprinter 213CDI Medium, with 184hp 3.0-litre V6.
The strikingly-liveried Sprinter was supplied by Poole dealer Pentagon Commercials. The bumpers and side trims are colour-coded, while the van also features chrome side bars, alloy wheels and privacy glass all round. CoTrim of Salisbury added a second row of seats, an integrated bulkhead and luxury trim, including walnut veneer in the passenger compartment and floor-to-roof carpet in the rear.
Kitty says: “Reliability is important in our business, so when it came to choosing a new van the obvious choice was another Mercedes. We’ve outgrown our Vito and were looking for a van that was a bit bigger.”
The Sprinter’s very long service intervals is also a bonus, she says: “Sometimes we are so busy that just finding time to book a vehicle in for a service can be a problem.” The van was supplied with a 60,000-mile or five-year all-inclusive Mercedes-Benz Service Package.
Crafty Arty Parties plans to add six more Mercedes vans this year – two Sprinters and four Vitos – as the business expands.
About Crafty Arty Parties
Crafty Arty Parties was launched in 2003. The company employs 40 people and stages spectacular themed parties for the public and private sector. For details visit Crafty Arty Parties.
