The owner of a local barbershop, Prince Kwabena Sackey, has received the first £500 instalment of a £1,000 Independent Retailer Grant from Test Valley Borough Council for his new barbershop.
The Akwaaba Barbershop, located in Waterloo Court, in the centre of Andover, specialises in Afro-Caribbean styles.
Prince, who offers discounts to both military personnel and students, said “Many of my customers have previously had to travel to Basingstoke or Salisbury to have their hair cut at a specialist barbers like mine, so it’s good to be able to offer this locally. Thank you to Test Valley Borough Council for the grant which has been very helpful.”
Local ward member, Councillor David Denny presented the cheque to Prince at the barbershop. He said “I’d like to congratulate Prince on the successful launch of his new business. Prince has worked very hard to open his new barbershop and is thoroughly deserving of the Independent Retailer Grant.”
Recipients of the £1,000 grant are awarded £500 after three months of trading and a further £500 after nine months.
To be eligible for the grant, new or existing independent businesses must occupy a town centre ground floor unit which has been vacant for at least one month. Qualifying businesses include shops, restaurants and cafes.
You can find the Akwaaba Barbershop on Facebook.