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Bournemouth’s Grade 92 adds van to mobile barber shop fleet

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A DELIVEROO-style mobile barber shop, which started in Bournemouth, is going from strength to strength with its business of doorstep delivered cuts booming.

Bournemouth barbering company Grade 92, which already has two successful shops in the town, launched a mobile service in a custom-converted van during lockdown.

It proved so popular that a second vehicle was commissioned to the road six months ago, and now a third one in Wiltshire is up and running.

Niall Coles works from the van – complete with a salon-quality chair, bespoke lighting and even a refreshments fridge – and brings the service to people’s homes, offices, pubs and more.

Bournemouth Echo: Hairdresser Niall Coles with a customer inside the Grade 92 Barbering mobile vanHairdresser Niall Coles with a customer inside the Grade 92 Barbering mobile van

“People really like it because it’s convenient,” said Niall, 26.

“They don’t 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.

“It’s becoming really popular with people living out in the villages where there isn’t a barber.”

Customers book their visit via an app which asks for their location and type of haircut.

According to Niall, using the purpose-built van rather than someone’s kitchen or living room results in a better haircut. He said: “When you go to someone’s house you might not have the right lighting, you don’t have enough room and the chair is not always the correct height, which can make it difficult.

Bournemouth Echo: Grade 92 Barbering mobile vanGrade 92 Barbering mobile van

“The van gives you consistency because everything is set up perfectly.”

Although customers are predominantly younger, Niall regularly cuts older customers’ hair and the van has even been to a care home.

He has been to a wedding venue to cut the groom and his ushers’ hair as well as offices and is open to bookings for events, festivals or even markets.

Niall concluded: “A few years ago you’d 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’s all changing and this is just the next step.”

Visit grade92.co.uk or find Niall on Instagram @niall.grade92mobilebarber for more.