A 鈥淒eliveroo-style鈥 mobile barber business in Dorset has expanded its operations with the addition of a new 鈥渂arber shop van鈥 to its fleet.
Grade 92 has two bricks and mortar shops in Bournemouth and launched its first converted van during the national lockdowns prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The business said the service proved so popular that following its second mobile salon hitting the road six months ago, a third one - complete with barber鈥檚 chair, lighting and even a refreshments fridge - is now up and running in Wiltshire.
Customers book appointments via an app which asks for their location and the style of haircut they would like. It works out the barber鈥檚 travelling time and comes up with a suggested time slot, which can be amended, and a price.
Niall Coles, a partner in the firm, operates Grade 92鈥檚 Wiltshire service, visiting homes, offices, pubs and at a care home.
Mr Coles said: 鈥淧eople really like it because it is convenient. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have to waste their evenings and weekends driving into town and trying to park, I can just pull up in their street or their place of work in their lunch break or after work.
鈥淚t鈥檚 becoming really popular with people living out in the villages where there isn鈥檛 a barber. The other day I was in the village of Broad Chalke near Salisbury and I did eight cuts.鈥
Grade 92 charges around 拢5 more for haircuts in its mobile barber shops compared to those in a regular salon.
Mr Coles said: 鈥淎 few years ago you鈥檇 never dream that people would be happy to pay extra for a coffee and a sandwich to be delivered to their house rather than walk in and get it themselves but it鈥檚 all changing and this is just the next step.
鈥淥ur customers are really happy to pay extra for that little bit of convenience and I think that鈥檚 the way forward.鈥
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