A CELEBRITY hair stylist is looking to open a second salon in Derby just months after launching his first in the city.

In October, Lee Stafford opened his only boutique outside of south-east England in Duffield Road, Allestree.

He is now contemplating a second, this time in the city centre.

Mr Stafford, who has appeared on television shows including Celebrity Scissorhands and This Morning and has his own product range, linked up with city businessman Steve Atkins.

Mr Atkins said the creation of another hair salon would bring 17 jobs.

He said: "The first three months have been incredible at Allestree. We set ourselves a target of what we wanted to achieve and we actually doubled that.

"We are now actively scouring the city centre for a second salon because it is clear from the business we are doing that there is a big demand for it."

Mr Atkins said that many customers had been drawn to Allestree on the strength of Mr Stafford's name.

He said that although Mr Stafford, who owns salons in London, is not in Derby all the time, all the staff at Allestree had been trained to a level that meant they offered cuts that met exacting standards.

Mr Atkins said: "Obviously, Lee has a lot of commitments.

"But he travels up to the salon for about a week a month and does some work with clients.

"So, it's not like when you go to the restaurant of a celebrity chef and they are never there.

"If you book well enough in advance, you can have Lee doing it for you. But there is quite a waiting list."

When he opened in Allestree, Mr Stafford said that Derby was the ideal place to launch his first salon outside of the south-east because it was "full of history, culture and very fashion-conscious individuals".

He also selected the city because it was accessible to a large catchment area, with people travelling from as far afield as Birmingham, Leicester and Sheffield.

Mr Atkins said that, despite the recession, the hair and beauty business was continuing to do well. He said: "Because Lee has salons in London, people here in Derby are kind of expecting to pay London prices.

"But that is not the case. In fact, the prices are often cheaper than some of our competitors in the area. The feedback we have received so far has been great and we are getting a wide range of clients.

"We just feel that a city centre presence would also help raise the profile of the business even further.

"We would also be taking on local people."