An app that was launched to be the ‘Uber for barbers’ has rebranded into an on-demand home services marketplace.
Manchester-based mobile barbering service Appacut was launched in 2024 but has been renamed as Doorly, offering everything from personal chefs and baby massage to beauty treatments, dog training, DIY and cleaning.
The expansion comes after founder Michael Lawes secured £600,000 of funding, including backing from musicMagpie CEO Steve Oliver, who has become Doorly’s non-executive chairman.
Doorly is operating in Birmingham, Brighton, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield, and plans to expand into Glasgow, Coventry, Bristol, Bath, Newcastle upon Tyne and Portsmouth.
It is seeking to capitalise on the growing popularity of Deliveroo and Uber-type services.
More than 1,000 service providers have so far signed up, with a further 250 applicants awaiting clearance.
They are offering services across eight categories – hair, beauty, pet, home, family, vehicle, lifestyle and learning.
Services include beauty treatments and grooming, spray tanning, babysitting and baby massage, tutoring, IV vitamin shots, dog walking and training, flat-pack furniture assembly, a personal chef, car valeting, cleaning and ironing.
The Doorly team includes chief technical officer Jordan Ryan Madeley.
Lawes said that, as well as giving flexibility and convenience to customers, Doorly enables providers to earn extra income from their skills and trades.
He said: “Being able to book services on demand is very attractive to people who may be time-pressed and want to fulfil their personal needs at home.
“Having successfully proven the concept with Appacut, the funding we’ve recently received has enabled us to rapidly expand the scope and geography of services we can offer.
Appacut has been renamed as Doorly
“Our sole focus is on making the provision of great services at home as easy as possible via a single platform. We wanted a name that truly reflects this, which is how Doorly was born, as it brings services to your door.”
Customers using Doorly browse providers in their local area, choose the service they require and select the time and location to receive it. Its initial focus is on high-density populations across major cities.
Lawes said: “Ease of booking is one of our key differentiators, and the providers come fully equipped. They set their own fee and get the full amount from the customer, we just charge a booking fee.
“The Deliveroo and Uber models have shown that people do appreciate a fast and convenient way to obtain services from trusted providers.”
Steve Oliver said: “It was always the plan to expand Appacut to offer multiple services, and now we are accelerating our strategy. Opportunities have come to us, as people have asked us to provide other services.
“Doorly is disruptive and uses brilliant technology. We have huge ambitions for it and we are constantly looking to grow the range of services we provide, as well as expanding our geographical reach.”