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Aboard the barbus
11:27am Friday 20th June 2008
Louise Viggers has taken an idea that came to her while she was pregnant and turned it into an innovative new business. She said: "I mentioned it to my mum and a friend and they both thought it was such a good idea that they joined in, too."
The three partners - operations director Stella O'Neill and Mrs Viggers' mother Anita Brain, who handles the accounts - started by putting up the money to commission The Barbus, a custom-made barber shop on wheels, staffed with three fully-trained and qualified hairdressers.
"We felt it would be difficult to explain the idea without the bus, so we bought it and had it kitted out first. As soon it was ready, last summer, we got on the road to show it to people," Mrs Viggers explained.
The Barbus makes regular visits to trading estates, business parks, pub car parks and other locations around the Banbury area where people might find it hard to make the time to go to a salon.
Mrs Viggers, 31, had previously run a salon but was looking for a new challenge.
She said: "Now we're in the 21st century everything seems to be about convenience, so I was trying to think of something around that when it came to me."
She has lived in Banbury all her life and felt that was important.
"People know you, they know you're local, and I think that has helped us establish the locations."
The pub car parks do very well, as do business parks, particularly those with smaller businesses. And the team has managed to get key Banbury employer Kraft on board.
"The people at Kraft have been brilliant. They are very supportive, and it has been very busy when we're there," said Mrs Viggers.
"Generally though, small business owners are more keen than corporate locations. They don't mind employees popping out for a haircut, if it saves them time going further away."
Upper Heyford is another good example. With few facilities left on the former USAF base and towns with facilities some miles away, the regular Friday visits to the Cherwell Innovation Centre have proved popular.
Although it's early days, the signs look good, and if the business continues to grow then more buses will be coming along. And it could get more exciting, as Mrs Viggers explained.
"A number of people have also pointed out that the idea is suited to being franchised so we may look at that in the future."
o Contact: The Barbus, 0845 094 4851, www.thebarbus.com
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