A housekeeping business is cleaning up as the coronavirus pandemic sparks unprecedented demand.

Cleaning entrepreneur Alison Chilvers launched Bright Beautiful Ipswich a year ago and has expanded into Woodbridge as demand for her firm’s services soar.

She now employs nine housekeepers and has seen her revenue rise by 137% since January. The team cleans 300 homes around Suffolk.

MORE — Online retailer moves to huge warehouse off A14She was able to scale up her business thanks to a grant from the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Small Grant Scheme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

The additional funding has enabled her to expand into Woodbridge and develop and grow her business.

“We have experienced an unprecedented demand for our professional cleaning services during the pandemic and we attribute this to our high standards for hygiene and trusted teams, all of whom are fully employed and trained,” said Ms Chilvers.

“We have also introduced enhanced safety procedures, using eco-friendly and sanitisation products, including a fogging machine to provide extra protection and reassurance to our clients.

“As more people work from home, the need for a reliable and managed cleaning service has never been so important. We are helping busy professionals and parents focus on their work and spend time with their loved ones without having to worry about the cleaning and ironing. Our clients trust us to look after their homes and in return we give them the hotel finish they deserve, she said.

She was “hugely proud” of what the business has achieved, she said.

“I am equally committed to creating more employment opportunities for local men and women, providing them with a great working environment, and to delivering a premium service that always serves its promises to the local communities,” she added.

Her business is part of a larger franchise network, with 67 franchisees operating across the UK.

The Bright & Beautiful franchise business was bought by US home services giant Neighborly.com in 2017.