The company currently has three outlets: two in Manchester city centre and one in the Manchester suburb Didsbury.

Lock said there have already been serious expressions of interest in taking up franchises from would-be operators in Alderley Edge, Nottingham and elsewhere but she stressed nothing will transact until her advisors - Franchise Your Business Ltd in London – and her have finalised the franchising offer and related arrangements which is unlikely to be before September.

She added that the USP of the Gentry Grooming Company is that “everything happens in the chair and men are out in 30 to 40 minutes. All we’re essentially doing is resurrecting something that used to be routine – good old fashioned gents’ grooming.”

Lock believes there is significant potential to roll the brand because “we’ve invested so much in it to date and it’s proving successful.”

The initial brand design was created by The Graphics Department in Salford and the pitch to launch the company’s site and create a comprehensive e-commerce platform has been won by Manchester agency Dreamscape Solutions. Two other digital design agencies pitched for the account – Mojo and Fluid Creativity.

Dreamscape Solutions will be providing three main elements to online initiative: a ‘top level corporate animated website’ that will be a virtual environment for clients, an online shop and a  search marketing and pay per click campaign to increase online traffic.

Lock and McCabe

Did you enjoy this article? Please share it!