Name: Vincent Hanlon

Business Name: Splish Splash Whitchurch

Opening times: 10am till 3pm Tuesday to Saturday and all are by appointment.

When did you open your business and why?

In 2005, I was asked by someone if I would be interested going into bathroom showroom as there wasn’t one in Whitchurch at the time.

We were originally down in the alleyway between what was Last Orders and what is now Head 2 Toe. We were in there and moved onto High Street just gone six years ago.

Why this location?

High Street really, it is a lot smaller unit than we were in but you have got the social bit from the other traders on the high street because they are very good.

Also you have got more footfall here as well. Although it is not brilliant, most of my business comes off enquiry on the internet or phone, mainly the phone, but the high street is doing okay.

I think we are in for a bit of a hard ride over the next 12 months or so and we will see how we get on.

We are pulling together and cracking on. You have got two Michelin restaurants in Whitchurch – 10,000 people and two Michelin restaurants, it is unheard of really.

We all support each other, we all use each other shops. If you want eggs, you go to Refill Your Boots, and you try and use the market and get your fruit and vegetables from there, not from Sainsbury or Tesco.

Tell me about your business?

We are an independent small kitchen and bathroom supplier, installer and designer.

So basically, we do complete bathroom, kitchen refurbishments from start to finish.

Come in, meet, survey, design, discuss and install, the lot. We are in fact doing a survey in Wem on Tuesday, I am down in Newport on Tuesday.

We do Chester, Tarporley, past Bronington and up towards Penley and Ellesmere.

All around really, within about 20 mile radius really. Shop local is a big thing here without a doubt.

People are enthusiastic and they do like their town so if you are enthusiastic about the town, you use the local businesses.

What has been your proudest moment so far?

Surviving, that’s about it honestly.

Everyone thinks because you have got a business, you are rocking and rolling and you are earning a fortune. You don’t, you just make a living like everyone else.

All you have is a little more independence. There are the hours you put in and the hours behind the scenes.

We open 10am to 3pm but I go out at 8am to see the jobs we are on because I am project manager.

You are doing 10 hour days, five days a week. I have Sunday and Monday off but I usually work Mondays anyway. I do designs, visiting customers, deliveries coming in.

What has been your strangest request?

Nothing extraordinary – we have done some work on narrowboats and things like that but nothing outstandingly weird – maybe a few ghostly experiences!