Shropshire car valet upsizing after setting up business three weeks before lockdown
A passion for cars has turned into a business for Mike Botwright, which has not only survived but thrived in lockdown.
He began Mike’s Auto Care just three weeks before lockdown.
Based at a garage at his home in south Shropshire, he specialises in vehicle deep cleaning.
“We could never have imagined that three weeks into the business we would find ourselves locked down,” he said.
“But looking back it was somewhat of a blessing. It gave me time to hone my skills and a produced videos of what I do and how people can care for their own vehicles, which brought a following.”
As soon as the first lockdown ended, Mike was inundated with work, so much so that he had to look for new, larger premises.
He eventually found his current premises, a former equestrian veterinary centre in Aston Munslow, near Craven Arms.
“It was ideal and could have been built for an auto care business,” he said.
Finding the premises coincided with the latest lockdown and Mike and his extended family spent the time converting it, all ready for this week’s opening.
His business involves the decontamination, deep cleaning and valeting of vehicles from private cars to horseboxes.
“There seems to be a gap in the service offered to owners of horseboxes,” he said.
“Many have told me that their horse boxes can get extremely dirty and yet, when they go to shows, they have to sleep in them with the horses.”
Mike offered discounts for key workers through last year and says he will continue to do so.
