Man swaps 30-year plastering career for barbering - opening shop in his back garden

Meet the man who swapped his 30-year plastering career for barbering - and has opened his very own shop in his back garden. David Hollick, 56, spent three decades as a tradesman before he decided he wanted a career change. After enrolling on a barbering course at Tamworth College, David quickly realised he loved cutting hair. He continued working as a plasterer while learning his new skill and took up a Saturday job at a local barber. And, while juggling the two, David also spent a year building his log cabin barbers in his back garden. Having always had aspirations to open his own shop, the dad finally opened Bakyard Barbers (corr) on May 9. David, from Newhall, Derbys., said: "It's hard graft as a plasterer. "As I got older, I was thinking about making that change. "So, I went to college and I saw they had a barbering course and thought I'd give it a go. "I was about two weeks in and I fell in love with it. So, I said I was going to do this. "When I got to work the Saturday job at a barbers I was still working as a plasterer then. But then when built my own shop I decided to take the bull by the horns and fully go for it. "It's nice to have that freedom but it's scary as well. I've got to stick at it. I've committed myself to it now. I've got to build a client base which'll take a long time." David enrolled on his course in September 2020 and spent two nights a week over 30 weeks learning how to cut hair, before getting his certificate. Despite working on Saturdays at his friend's barbers in nearby Church Gresley, David had his own ambitions. He said: "I went to the barber shop as we were coming out of lockdown and she said why I don't come to the shop and work there on a Saturday, and I did that up until last week really. "But right from the start I didn't want to work there full-time. I wanted it to be set-up in my own way. My shop is done out and set-out for the way I like to work." Whilst working that job, David spent nearly a year of his own spare time building his Bakyard Barbers shop. Asked why he wanted to have his shop in his own back garden, David said: "I feel that the high street is inundated with men's grooming at the moment. "In my town there's six barbers in one street, so I didn't want to put myself in that situation in the same street. "I thought it was a little bit more bespoke being here and some customers have said it feels different and calmer, more relaxing, and I like that, I think it'll work. "I've got an old-school style; I don't like anything too modern. It looks pretty old and within keeping of my character. "I've got my pictures of Rockabilly artists. It's my style at the end of the day. "Most of the customers that have come have come from the old Saturday shop. "People want to stick around and talk. It's totally different and a bit more personal. I've had some good responses from people who I think would rather come here." Although business hasn't been great in David's first two weeks, he says he knew this would be the case. He said: "It's been terrible so far, I'll be honest, but I knew this. "There's a lot of competition out there. "People are seeing the sign but they aren't taking the bait yet. "However, slowly but surely people are actually starting to phone me up or send me a message. "It's going to be a slow one as I have a client base to build, I haven't got that centre of town foot fall." David offers men's haircuts for £12 and children's for £10. Other styles include a fade, skin fade, restyles and crewcuts which are priced between £12 and £15. He also offers nose trimming for £8 and an ear wax for £5. Bakyard Barbers can be found at 40 Meadow View Road in Newhall, Swadlincote.