Devon Cleaning South Hams bucks the downturn by expanding into Plymouth during lockdown
As the impact of social-distancing and lockdown threatens the viability of many South West businesses, an established Devon cleaning company - whose inspirational owner literally started from nothing - has bucked the trend by taking over a family-run cleaning business in Plymouth and taking on more staff.
Entrepreneur Amanda Barnes, who runs Devon Cleaning South Hams and its sister company Barnes The Cleaners, has recently taken ownership of PlymClean in Plymouth.
The take-over was finalised in June. It safeguards the employment of eight existing workers at PlymClean - three of whom remain on furlough because of their personal circumstances - and has resulted in the recruitment of three extra members of staff, and potentially a fourth.
Amanda says: “My ambition is to take PlymClean to the next stage in the company’s development. Currently, it provides domestic services, but I’m looking to use my experience and contacts to expand the company into the commercial and industrial sectors. With PlymClean joining the fold this is an exciting time for my group of local cleaning companies. In contrast to the general economic decline caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, we are on the up!”
Former Directors Gail and Stuart May, who have now both moved on and are running a new Property Inspections and Compliance Company within the lettings' industry, say: “We started PlymClean from scratch six years ago. PlymClean was our baby, and we are very proud of what we have achieved - developing the brand, an experienced team and a great relationship with our customers. During lockdown, we decided it was time for us to focus more on our other business which was still thriving during this difficult period, and accepted Amanda’s offer to take over at Plymclean. With Amanda’s impressive network of contacts, we look forward to seeing the business grow and thrive.”
Amanda Barnes is an accomplished self-starter who has grown her Devon cleaning empire from nothing. She had a tough upbringing after being abandoned by both parents in her childhood. Left home alone with her brother from the age of 12, she stopped going to school and it was more than two years before anyone found out that no one was caring for her.
Amanda was taken in by a family until she was 16. Determined to make something of herself, she gained invaluable experience of running a household - as an au-pair in Luxembourg, and as a PA/nanny in charge of a team of domestic staff in Knightsbridge.
After ten years in London, she spotted an opportunity to provide cleaning and management services in Devon to customers with high-end holiday homes here, and also to the local domestic and holiday-let market. She says: “I only usually tell my hard-done-by story to do the odd member of staff when they look at me with my nice handbag and think I’ve had it all handed to me on a plate.”
Amanda founded Devon Cleaning South Hams in 2004. The company provides a high-quality cleaning service throughout the district to more than 350 domestic and commercial customers, including many premier holiday-let properties. Sister company Barnes The Cleaners, based in Totnes, is a domestic and commercial laundry and dry-cleaning business.
As well as having a head for business, Amanda has a head for numbers. While running a former company, an American car business, her curious claim to fame was being able to memorise 8-digit codes for spare parts off the top of her head.
