Meet the entrepreneurs behind four businesses that have found their perfect home in Altrincham’s newest health and beauty hub.
How Aldi reunion led school friends to business success
For Aimee Babb and Becky McCormack, co-owners of The Beauty Hive, their Trafalgar House business actually originated during a chance encounter in the middle of Aldi.
"After a quick catch-up, we realised we shared the same dream, to create a salon where clients could feel confident, cared for and completely at home," remembered Aimee.
The school friends had both retrained in beauty and worked in separate salons before fate brought them together again. Their timing couldn't have been more challenging - they opened The Beauty Hive in September 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. "Everyone told us not to do it!" Aimee said. "The first year was tough with lockdowns and challenges, but we believed in ourselves and pushed through."
Their perseverance paid off. Today, The Beauty Hive offers comprehensive beauty services from nails, brows and lashes to advanced skin treatments, semi-permanent makeup, laser services and aesthetics. They've also launched The Beauty Hive Training Academy.
When it came to choosing Trafalgar House, financial considerations proved decisive. "We chose Trafalgar House because the all-inclusive rent gives us peace of mind, knowing exactly what our costs are each month," said Aimee.
The building's high-standard renovation created an environment that enhances their service offering. "The building itself has been beautifully renovated to a high standard, making it such a lovely place to work," she said.
Client feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. "They love the modern, stylish space, with the most incredible scent throughout - we still need to find out what it is! - and they often tell us it makes their visit feel even more luxurious."
She added: "The coffee shop downstairs is an added bonus, offering lovely drinks and treats for clients to enjoy before or after their appointments."
Looking ahead, Aimee and Becky have ambitious plans. "As our client base grows, our goal is to grow our team too," Aimee said. "Long-term, we'd love The Beauty Hive to be seen not just as a salon, but as a community within Trafalgar House, a place people genuinely look forward to coming to for their treatments."
The Beauty Hive Salon & Academy, Floor 2, Suite 7 & 8, Trafalgar House, 110 Manchester Rd, Altrincham WA14 1NU. Follow @thebeautyhive.uk on Facebook and Instagram
"We're for everybody - and every body"
Some business partnerships are forged in boardrooms. For Jill Johnson and Andrea Haywood, founders of Cheshire Yoga, their journey began on exactly the same day in 1999 when they both attended their first yoga class together. Twenty-five years later, their friendship has blossomed into a thriving business that has become the cornerstone of Trafalgar House's health and wellness community.
Jill's path to yoga began after an injury led her to that first class in a church hall. "I loved it and went on to become a teacher of Iyengar yoga in 2007," she said. Her dedication took her to Pune in India - the home of Iyengar Yoga - where she studied under Mr. Iyengar himself. Now qualified to Senior 3 Level, Jill is also a fully qualified yoga therapist and teacher trainer, and for five years served as Chair of Iyengar Yoga UK.
Andrea's journey followed a different trajectory. Having continued yoga through three pregnancies, she was Jill's first student in 2007, qualifying as a Level 1 teacher in 2013 and progressing to Level 2 in 2019. "I started as a sports person who was only able to touch my knees and not go any further," she remembers.
When Covid struck and yoga studios began closing, the pair made a bold decision. "We decided mid-Covid that we'd actually quite like to open our own studio," said Andrea. Fortuitously, they discovered that Selbourne Group managing director Michael de Massey, whose wife Claire attended their classes, was renovating Trafalgar House.
"We asked if he could point us in the right direction, and he brought us here to this building," said Jill. What they found was a blank canvas - 4,000 square feet of empty space that they could shape to their vision.
Michael's support proved crucial. "He was extremely helpful - putting walls up in the right place, sound-proofing, putting our rope wall up and adding different lighting than he would put in normal offices to suit us," Andrea said.
As the anchor tenants for what Michael envisioned as a health and wellbeing hub, Cheshire Yoga paved the way for others. "We knew Helen from Helen's Therapies, and then other practitioners came - we've all kind of drawn together," says Andrea. The result is a thriving ecosystem where business is shared around all the different services.
The community they've built extends far beyond business referrals. Their inclusive approach has created lasting friendships among students ranging from late teens to early 90s.
“We were very conscious that people tend to think they’re going to walk into a space where everyone's going to be super flexible and super bendy, and they can all do complicated poses. We were really against that. Our Iyengar yoga is for everybody and every body,” Andrea added.
“What's most pleasurable for both of us is the amount of friendships that have been made. The people in class today didn't know each other when they started."
Their Saturday social yoga, book club, weekend workshops and international retreats have fostered connections that extend well beyond the studio walls.
From that first shared yoga class in 1999, Jill and Andrea’s success has not only fulfilled their own dreams but created the blueprint for the thriving health and beauty hub that Trafalgar House has become today.
Cheshire Yoga, Suite 1, Trafalgar House, 110 Manchester Rd, Cheshire, Altrincham WA14 1NU. Follow @cheshire.yoga on Instagram
“It’s like a hidden gem”
When Laura Fischbacher was looking for the perfect location for Aura Beauty, she found something unexpected at Trafalgar House - a ready-made community of health and beauty businesses that would actively boost her nail art studio from day one.
Laura's journey began accidentally during lockdown when she couldn't visit her usual nail salon. "I discovered my passion for doing nails through not being able to go to the nail salon - so I started to do my own nails," she said. What started as necessity evolved into a creative outlet while studying marketing at university.
After working in traditional salons and travelling through Southeast Asia, Laura returned with a determination to build her own business. While she initially considered retail spaces, the costs felt overwhelming. "I then came across Trafalgar House, recommended by one of my clients, and it just fulfilled exactly what I needed at this stage in my career."
The impact of being part of a beauty hub became apparent immediately. "Even in my first week I had multiple new clients come to me, mainly consisting of other tenants in Trafalgar House, as well as their clients who they recommended me to," Laura said.
The convenience factor resonates strongly with clients. "Being in the industry for over five years now has really shown how much clients love a one-stop shop," Laura added. "Having so many health and beauty services in Trafalgar House massively promotes business for each one as clients only need to walk a couple of steps."
The collaboration with her neighbours has been incredibly valuable. "Every single tenant I have met that is also in the industry has been so welcoming, supportive and friendly," she added. "I also ensure that I recommend other tenants in the building whenever my clients mention something that they need."
She said: "Everyone just absolutely loves the building, it's like a hidden gem. The first thing people always notice is how amazing it smells - every single client comments on it." The on-site café and parking provides additional convenience.
For Laura, who specialises in nail art alongside builder gel nails, luxury pedicures and facials, Trafalgar House has provided the perfect launch pad. "The range of health and beauty businesses is constantly growing which will just continue to create such an amazing environment for new businesses to thrive," she said.
Aura Nail Art Studio, Suite 8B, Trafalgar House, 110 Manchester Rd, Altrincham WA14 1NU. Follow @aura.nailartstudio on Instagram and Tik Tok
“I know that I'm super safe here”
After years of searching for the right location, medical nurse practitioner Mandie Dransfield has finally found her perfect base at Trafalgar House.
Her clinic, MD Medical, specialises in advanced medical aesthetics, offering everything from anti-wrinkle treatments and dermal fillers to revolutionary skin rejuvenation procedures like Profhilo® and medical-grade chemical peels.
With 20 years of experience in the industry, including work with large cosmetic surgery groups and skin laser clinics, Mandie went fully self-employed in 2016. But despite her success - "the market seems to be incredible, I do very well" - finding the right permanent home for her practice proved challenging.
"I've had lots of places where I've worked from, so I've never been 100% settled," said Mandie, who moved into Trafalgar House in May. "This is why I was so keen to get in here - to be settled in a place and put my stamp on it."
The appeal of Trafalgar House for her medical aesthetics practice is multifaceted. Location was crucial - "Altrincham is a great place to be" - but equally important was the building's community atmosphere and, critically for a lone practitioner, the sense of safety it provides.
"Safety is a really big aspect for me because I'm a lone practitioner working sometimes late into the evening, and I know that I'm super safe here," she said. "It feels incredibly safe, the environment is lovely, and it kind of fits with my industry really."
The building's community of health and wellness businesses has created unexpected benefits. "Although you're on your own in your own business, you don't feel alone - you feel like you have a team," Mandie added. "We've got a nice relationship with the people who have moved in on this floor."
The professional amenities also enhance the client experience. "It's great having all these really nice spaces and the coffee shop for my customers to come through," she said.
Looking ahead, Mandie has ambitious plans to expand her services. She's working towards Care Quality Commission registration, which will allow her to offer wellness treatments like intravenous vitamin drips. But her commitment to Trafalgar House is long-term: "I've got a three-year lease, but my plan is to be here until I retire. I can't imagine moving anywhere else. This has been what I've been looking for, and it's perfect really."
MD Medical, Floor 2, Suite 3, Trafalgar House, 110 Manchester Rd, Altrincham
WA14 1NU. For more information or to book an appointment, visit md-medical.co.uk or call 07479090018
