Navenby salon owner sells gelato and shakes to survive lockdown

Luke Daniels started selling milkshakes and gelato from his salon in Navenby to generate an income during the lockdown

A man who sold milkshakes and gelato in his hair salon to earn money during lockdown says it was so successful he has set up a new business.

Luke Daniels, who owns a hairdressers in Navenby, near Lincoln, was forced to close when lockdown started.

But in May, when some restrictions were eased, he transformed his salon into a gelato bar to generate an income.

He has now moved the new business to a nearby vacated cafe.

He said he was faced with a dilemma when a date was announced allowing hairdressers and barbers to reopen.

"We initially thought on the 4 July it would be over, but it proved so successful, and everyone in the village really enjoyed it, that we were very reluctant to just close it down and let it go."

Mr Daniels said his partner Emma was now running it from the former village tearooms, which they also plan to reinstate.

The inspiration for the new business is also a bit out of the ordinary.

Mr Daniels said he was talking to a lady in the village who told him she was taking her children to see a "giant teddy bear fishing".

The teddy bear was owned by a couple who put it in a different situation everyday to keep local children amused, he explained.

"It just sort of clicked that people were going out of their houses and had nothing to do, so it was a way of keeping busy and giving people a smile," he added.

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