Poppies Sheffield rebounds with 160% growth since the pandemic

Owner Nigel Bayliss took advantage of the government’s flexi-furlough scheme, retaining a majority of his original team during the lockdowns

With the coronavirus pandemic easing in the UK, Sheffield-based cleaning franchise, Poppies, has shown how it has survived, thrived and continued to support its local community over the past 18 months.

Launched 26 years ago, owner Nigel Bayliss has seen his business’s revenue grow by 160 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. Taking advantage of the government’s flexi-furlough scheme, Nigel has not only retained a majority of his original team during the lockdowns, but he has increased his workforce by 14 per cent since the end of lockdown, enabling them to deliver over 480 home cleans every month to 180 clients in and around South Yorkshire.

“We’ve experienced an unprecedented demand for our professional cleaning services both during and post [the peak of the] pandemic. I can only attribute this to our high standards for hygiene and trusted teams,” said Nigel. “We’ve also introduced an enhanced clean and sanitise procedure to provide extra protection and reassurance to our commercial and domestic clients, as well as our Poppie cleaners.

“As people continued to work from home, the need for a reliable and managed cleaning service has never been so important. Whether it’s for a regular or one-off spring clean, we have continued to help busy professionals and parents focus on their work and spend time with their loved ones without having to worry about the cleaning and laundry. We also saw a huge increase in bookings as people chose to move home during the stamp duty holiday and needed our deep clean service! Our clients trust us to look after their homes and in return, we give them a premium service they deserve.

“I’m extremely proud of what the franchise has achieved over the past 18 months and how we have successfully adapted to the new reality. With the implementation of our new cleaning initiatives and enhanced digital marketing strategy, we’ve seen a surge in demand for both new and existing customers and we aim to continue to grow over the coming months and into next year and beyond.”

Based in Sheffield, Poppies covers Crookes, Broomhill, Millhouses, Dore, Totley, Ecclesall, Whirlow Killamarsh, Aston, Kiveton, Rotherham, Moorgate, Bramley, Whiston, Wickersley, Todwick, Dinnington, Worksop, Carlton in Lindrick, Tickhill, Maltby and Laughton. It is part of a national network of 22 offices, creating over 500 jobs and delivering high-quality cleaning to over 6,000 homes on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis in line with clients’ individual needs.