BARBERSHOP owner Ellis Campbell says re-opening to customers would have been impossible without the help of a virtual queuing app he designed.

The entrepreneurial barber from Worcester created the app so the hair and beauty industry could get back on its feet as soon as lockdown lifted.

The IOS and android application, ‘MyQSafe,’ was designed to help businesses in the hair and beauty industry who offer walk-in services, allowing customers to join a virtual queue so social distancing can be maintained.

Mr Campbell, of Ellis Campbell & Co, in Broad Street, said: “On July 4 when we were allowed to open we had a queue of 47 already on the app. The queue didn’t go below 40 all day. We cut hair for twelve hours straight before we finally shut the app off at 6pm.

“There is no way it would have been practical to open the shop without it, we couldn’t leave our customers waiting outside for hours.

"The app gives them the time to do whatever they want, knowing their position in the queue is safe - the feedback has been brilliant.”

Ellis Campbell says the response to his MyQSafe venture has been ‘amazing’ with hundreds of businesses across the country subscribing already and momentum growing every day.

Each business which subscribes for £25 per month gets a unique QR code which they can place inside the shop window.

Customers who download the app can then scan the code on their phones.

They are then placed in a virtual queue and receive a notification when they are ready to be seen, helping maintain social distancing.

Mr Ellis added: “The app has taken off. It is being used across the UK and we have now opened it up to include Ireland.

“We have had contact from restaurant chains and big brand opticians and meetings in the hospitality sector in New York.

"We are smashing it!”