BLOKE Westfield Derby

CHANGING career from professional footballer to hairdresser may not be the most natural of progressions but the move has worked out well for former Chesterfield player Gary Coupland.

The 51-year-old runs male grooming salon Bloke in the Westfield centre – a traditional barber's with modern twists.

It offers complimentary beer, flat-screen TV and computer games for customers to enjoy, so a visit to Bloke is more than just your common or garden haircut.

Gary cut in on the hairdressing scene almost by mistake. After leaving Chesterfield FC, aged 19, following a four-year career, he ended up working at a barber's in Belper and discovered that when it came to cutting and shaving, shampooing and styling, he was a natural.

He said: "After leaving professional football, I wasn't sure what I wanted and started working at the barber's just for something to do. I found I enjoyed it and so I carried out my apprenticeship there.

"Since then, I've worked in several different salons and I have run my own hairdressing operation in Oakwood for the past 13 years. I was looking for a new challenge and wanted to try something a bit different, so when Westfield opened, it seemed like the ideal place – close to the city centre with lots of people walking past."

Bloke's six staff includes hairdresser Sonja Riley, who appeared on Channel Four show The Salon in 2003. Sonja has cut the hair of celebrities such as Kerry Katona and Hannah Spearitt.

Services include traditional wet shaves at £20 and a range of unusual hair colours, including shocking red and blue, ranging from £15 to about £30.

With its modern image and unique approach, Bloke attracts a steady stream of fashion-conscious young men.

But it offers appealing deals for an older clientele.

Gary, of Ripley, said: "We accept the Gold Card, which gives a discount to people over 60, as well as student discount cards. With the credit crunch, people are more conscious of how much they are spending and I think we are probably a bit quieter than last year, which is why it's great to offer discounts and make it more affordable for our customers."

Despite being originally aimed at men, Bloke has recently opened Women at Bloke for young women, with sharp, punky cuts and vibrant colouring on offer. The salon also sells its own range of male grooming products, named Bloke Stuff, as well as items from the American Crew range.

Gary said: "We have a talented team at Bloke and believe we offer something totally different to anywhere else in Derby. There is no need for people to book appointments. Just come in and see what we have to offer."

Bloke is open 9am to 7pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, 9am to 9pm on Thursday and Friday and 10.40am to 4.30pm on Sunday.

IMS LETTINGS Pride Park, Derby

AS a landlord with a portfolio of more than 30 homes, Chris Griffin was fed-up of trying to find a good letting agent to manage his properties. So, six years ago, he started his own and opened IMS Lettings.

Today, his company employs 49 people, runs six local offices, operates a fleet of 21 cars and has an annual turnover of more than £20m.

The company has grown quickly and, while the credit crunch has slowed down house sales, lettings are up.

Chris said: "I think the company has been so successful because of the fantastic team we have here. There is a real buzz among the staff and we are all very proud to be from Derby. Because IMS Lettings was set up by landlords for landlords, we know what landlords really want and what they worry about – whether a property will let, whether the tenant will pay rent on time, and if they are going to cause any damage.

"We have been Derby's number one letting agent for three years, have the sixth-busiest office in the UK and are determined to become number one in the near future."

The decision to set up in Borrowash was made following the death of Chris's brother-in-law, Martyn Steel. The 27-year-old was stabbed to death in The Foresters pub nine years ago. Paul Roberts, of Nottingham Road, Borrowash, is serving a life sentence for his murder.

Chris, 41, said: "Borrowash might seem a strange place to launch a business but my wife's family are from there, we live there too and we wanted to make them proud following Martyn's death."

The next year, a city centre branch was opened, with others in Pride Park, Long Eaton and Chaddesden following.

Chris puts his success down partly to the value for money offered by IMS Lettings, as well as his team of dedicated staff. Landlords are charged £36 a month per property, for which IMS Lettings finds them a tenant and moves them in, inspects the property every four months, collects rent and runs a 24-hour repair helpline.

Three years ago, IMS Residential was opened to sell houses as well as let and manage them. Estate agency accounts for 15% of the business but this has been hit hardest by the credit crunch.

Chris said: "We have just opened a new office in Chaddesden but will not be expanding any more in the near future – perhaps 2010 will be a big year for us. Right now, we are working to maintain our standards and offer good value for money when landlords most need it – when things are tight."