Cotswolds Business
Brush with the law for ex-policeman
3:30pm Monday 20th February 2012
ELLO, ello, ello, what’s going up here then? It’s a chimney sweep’s brush pushed by a former policeman.
After a career with West Mercia Constabulary, John Parker worked for Trading Standards, but has now launched his own business as a chimney sweep after taking voluntary redundancy.
Naturally, for householders’ peace of mind, he is fully police checked.
Based in Malvern, the 47-year-old franchisee runs Wilkins Chimney Sweep – Malvern and Worcester.
He said: “I was tired of my job being constantly threatened by pay freezes and cutbacks so decided to become a chimney sweep and get some control back in my life.
“I’m really enjoying my new venture; chimney sweeping is not your ‘run of the mill’ profession but with the huge increase in energy prices and more people using open fires and wood-burners to heat their homes, we’ve seen a definite increase in trade and it made good business sense to be part of that trend.”