Lee Donnelly is turning the humble haircut into an “experience” with his mobile barbershop in Dundee.
The 50-year-old owner of Wheel Trims Mobile Barbershop meets clients anywhere in the city in his van – be it The Law, Balgay Hill or Camperdown Park. Or their living room.
The dad-of-two also offers his services on a pop-up basis, often visiting various picturesque locations in the area.
We caught up with Glasgow-born Lee, who started his business in 2024, to find out why he is passionate about cutting hair and what he loves about living in Dundee.
Did you always want to be a barber?
I arrived at barbering very late in life, after spending many years in different jobs.
In my youth, I always wanted to be an astronaut and travel to Mars, but when I realised at 45 that it was becoming increasingly unlikely, my attention turned to barbering.
I completed a course at the Scottish Barbering School in Glasgow.
Why did you become a mobile barber?
The high street is saturated with barber shops and I thought it would be commercial suicide to open yet another.
I decided that mobile barbering would allow me to go into communities and provide a more convenient service to people who may not like or be able to go to a busy barber shop for a variety of reasons. For example, the elderly and infirm, people with mental health issues, people with autism, and so on.
While there are a few mobile barber shops in England, there are almost none in Scotland.
What is your favourite thing about your job?
Meeting people. I’ve had some amazing interactions through my work.
People are very often curious about my business and want to know more, and sometimes we just talk about music, politics, life and all sorts of other things.
On Thursday afternoons I provide free haircuts to service users of a drop-in community space run by Dundee social enterprise Scrapantics in the Wellgate Centre. It’s this aspect of my job I find the most rewarding.
What’s your favourite thing about Dundee?
The people of Dundee are very friendly. I think they give the city a warm, welcoming vibe.
There are also beautiful and plentiful green spaces and parks which I love.
And of course, being from in and around Glasgow originally, I really appreciate the sunnier, drier climate on this east side of Scotland!
You’ve lived in Glasgow, Liverpool and Shetland – why did you settle in Dundee?
I moved to Dundee from Shetland, having never even visited the city before, five or six years ago.
As soon as I arrived it felt like home.
Dundee is large enough to have all of the facilities, resources and options available, yet not so big as to be overwhelming and where you feel insignificant and completely anonymous.
Where is your favourite place to get a coffee in Dundee?
I enjoy Henry’s Coffee House in City Square. I like to sit by the window if there’s a seat available or, if the weather’s nice, I like to sit outside with my coffee so I can watch the world go by.
I also like the mezzanine cafe in Waterstones (there’s something nice about drinking coffee while surrounded by books).
How do you deal with the bad weather?
Poor weather certainly affects footfall, but I always have a guitar, a sketchbook and a good book and some coffee in the vehicle for when days are slow!
The barbershop has a diesel heater to ensure neither clients nor myself are cold, no matter what the weather is doing, so it’s always nice and cosy inside.
If the weather is severe, I operate an ‘appointments only’ system, whereby I only take private bookings.
What is your favourite Dundee restaurant and why?
I don’t eat out very often, but I’ve most recently been to Dil’Se on Perth Road with a couple of friends which, as a vegan, I would highly recommend.
For my diet, they had a great range of dishes on offer and the service was amazing.
I also like Rishi’s on Hawkhill and Tahini on Bank Street, similarly for the impressive range of vegan food and the great service.
Where is our favourite place to get some peace and quiet in Dundee?
I have an art studio on West Hendersons Wynd, opposite Verdant Works, where I draw and paint, play guitar and fraternise with other wonderfully diverse and creative individuals in my downtime.
My favourite quiet outdoor spaces are definitely Camperdown Park and Balgay Park, both of which are a short walk from my home.
What’s next for Wheel Trims Mobile Barbershop?
The foreseeable future will be to focus on its promotion and growth and to reach more potential clients.
I also have plans to take Wheel Trims Mobile Barbershop to various locations and events during spring and summertime, such as music events, roadshows and fetes.
You can keep up with my journey and book appointments by following me on Facebook or Instagram.
Conversation