Another local entrepreneur has taken a shine to being his own boss, after setting up an environmentally friendly car valeting service.



Andy Rotherham from WHERE set up Luxury Waterless Valeting after being made redundant earlier in the year, using help from Blackpool Council’s Get Started service to get him on his way.

Andy, who has experience valeting vehicles for classic car shows, now provides a mobile valeting service, allowing customers to get their car clean while at work, in a meeting or even at their home.

The waterless valeting technique can also save up to 40 gallons of water per vehicle, making it an environmentally friendly alternative to cleaning a car with a hosepipe.

Through choosing a waterless option, Andy experimented with various products and techniques before settling on the one that gave the best, shiniest results.

As well as environmentally friendly products, Andy has also become approved by the Association of Professional Valeters and Detailers, the industrial body, and has obtained gold standard insurance allowing him to work on the most premium of cars.

In order to set himself as his own boss, Andy took training courses with Blackpool Council to help him get his business and financial plans in order.

He said: “I’d encourage any new businesses to get as much advice as they can for free. Blackpool Council, the Chamber of Commerce and free business networking events are a good starter.

“You also need to stick to your plan. It’s very easy to try and do everything but the direction gets lost and goals become harder to achieve.

“At the moment, mobile valeting is a bit of a one man band operation for me. That is just a step in the process however and the aim is to have a permanent premises as well as offering the mobile service.”

Cllr Mark Smith, Blackpool Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Enterprise and Economic Development added: “Andy is a great example of somebody taking a skill that they are good at and using to set themselves up in business.

“He’s positioned himself as a servicer of high end vehicles and has the necessary training and documentation in place that he needs. I wish him the best of success with his new business.”

To find out if you could become your own boss, contact Get Started on 477147 or search www.blackpool.gov.uk/getstarted